Worlds Apart
by Bluetech
Summary: In the midst of a sudden storm, Blu and Jewel are torn from their home and dropped off on a distant island. As they try to make peace with the locals, they have a deeper mission in mind: fulfill the prophecy they were given and find their way back home...
1. Whisked Away

**Chapter 1: Whisked Away**

It was a cloudy, chilled night in the city of Rio, and in a patch of the jungle known as the Blu Bird Sanctuary, three macaws were conversing with their parents inside the sturdy tree that grew from the middle of a small clearing.

As the macaws wrapped up their conversation, Blu and Jewel wanted to have a quick dinner with their children before they departed.

"Hey, Blu?"

"Yes, honey?"

"What do you say we have a...reunion feast of sorts? It has been awhile since our children have dropped by."

Ricardo, one of their sons, exclaimed, "Can we? Can we? I don't know about you, but I am starving!"

His sister, Esperanza, added "So am I! I could go for a juicy star fruit right about now!"

Blu was also starving, and on top of that, he just couldn't refuse the idea of a family dinner. "Sure! I would love to! My stomach is rumbling like thunder! Let's go!"

Just as he and Jewel made for the door, a deep groan issued from her stomach as well. She blushed with embarrassment and said, "Whoops! I guess I am slightly hungry too!"

The five macaws flew from the tree crossed the clearing, heading in a northerly direction. As they penetrated the border, they each scanned the undergrowth for any star fruit trees.

After a few minutes of flying, Vicente spied a heavily-laden tree off to their left, and he yelled, "Mama! Papa! Over here!"

He executed a banking turn and alighted in the crown of the tree. The rest of his family joined him, and they marveled at the freshness of the yellow fruits clustered at their feet.

Esperanza exclaimed, "Man, they look so good! I can't wait to bite into one!"

"How many should we take, Papa?" asked Ricardo.

"However many you think you can eat!"

Just then, the wind had started to blow, chilling them all down to the bone, and the tree they were perched in began to rock. "We need to hurry! I can sense that the weather is going to get worse! I, for one, to not want to be caught in it!"

"Me too, Jewel! Hurry, _meus filhos! _Grab a few pieces of fruit, so we can get back home!"

The five macaws opted to clutch a star fruit delicately in each of their talons, and they flew as fast as they could along their previous flight path. Bright bolts of lightning had begun a deadly dance above the jungle, and the ensuing thunder shook the five macaws as they raced on.

As they erupted back into the clearing and made a beeline for the tree, a sudden gust of wind slammed them to the ground. As they picked themselves up, they gazed up at the griseous sky, and the clouds were swirling in a spiral pattern above their heads.

Jagged lightning flashed down from above, and in the center of the clouds, a hole had appeared. "What is going on, Jewel?"

"_Boa pergunta! Você me diz!_"

As the winds howled around the clearing in the same manner as the clouds, the macaws tried to walk the rest of the way to the tree. They made steady progress, despite the typhoon that was raging around them. As they closed the distance to a mere fifteen feet, a loud crackling sound stopped them in their tracks.

They stared up at the hole in the clouds, and a trio of lightning bolts surged down. One was an intense blue shade, another was a deep orange color, and the third was emerald green. The bolts sped downwards and blasted their home tree in unison.

A shower of multicolored sparks rained down across the clearing, and the tree erupted into a chaotic mix of orange, green, and blue flames. A surge of horror filled the souls of the five macaws as the tree crackled and burned. "_Meu Deus! _Our home! What will we do, Blu!"

As much as he wanted to, the male macaw could not come up with an answer. The wrecked tree let loose a groaning sound as it split down the middle, and the two halves fell away from each other and crashed onto the ground. The wind instantly died down, and the five macaws crept forward to examine the aftermath.

Glowing embers littered the ground, and their deep red centers pulsed in a slow rhythm. As soon as the wind had vanished, a hearty downpour came in to replace it, and the five birds were soaked in a matter of minutes. A hiss filled the air as the multitude of embers were doused by the rain.

The air had become saturated with steam, and as they arrived at the base of the tree, an odd glow caught Jewel's eye. Nestled innocently on the blackened stump was another ember, only this one was composed of three colors. The outer layer was a rich orange, and the core was an intense shade of blue. Around the blue core was a thin ring of green, and Jewel had to focus in order to see it.

Her mate slid in beside her to inspect the strange ember, and their children watched from a few feet behind. "Jewel, the colors of the lightning that hit the tree match the colors in this ember!"

"You're right! But, what is it? And why isn't the rain putting it out?"

Indeed, the rain seemed to have no effect on the oval object in front of them. It was as if an invisible bubble was surrounding it and insulating it. The two macaws could sense the warmth flowing from it, despite the rain, but there was something else buried along with the gentle heat.

They could sense a mystic power caressing their souls, ancient and irrefutable. As the two macaws drew ever closer, they heard a commanding voice begin to echo in their minds, and the object seemed to pulse in time with the words, as if it was speaking to them.

_The time has come for you to endure the trial. I, the mighty Glaux, have called for you, and you must accept. The journey begins today, and you will be able to return, if you pray._

_Touch the Ember and you will be whisked away, to a place where day is night, and night is day. There will be friendships you must forge, and enemies you must fight._

_A different world awaits, in the middle of a sea, and no matter what, you must not flee. Decipher the code, and unlock the key._

_You must both wield the claws, for they alone can fulfill your destinies. If you complete this, you shall be allowed to return. Fail the trial, and forever you shall burn..._

The voice faded away, and the ember ceased to pulse along with it.

"Q_ue diabos foi isso? _Should we listen to it, Blu?"

He didn't really know the answer to her question, but the voice said that they had to accept. "I think we should listen to it, Jewel. It called itself 'Glaux,' and it said that we had to accept its call. Touch it, and see what happens."

Jewel heeded his advice, although she believed it to be utter nonsense. She carefully extended her right talon and plucked up the ember. It began to glow brighter than ever before, and it vanished out of Jewel's grip. It reappeared in front of them, and the jungle around them began to warp and blur.

The two macaws seemed to be moving faster and faster, as though the hovering ember was dragging them at incredible speeds. The blurred scenery soon became a convoluted mix of shapes, lights, and sounds, and they felt as though they were trapped in an inter-dimensional tunnel.

After spending a few minutes trapped in the warped tunnel, it suddenly vanished, and the two birds seemed to be gliding above a vast ocean. They slowed down to a pleasant speed, and as the sea rolled by beneath them, the ember seemed to fall into an illusory volcano in front of them.

Blu and Jewel then felt the pull of gravity once again, and they dropped from the air. They feared that they were going to fall into the sea and drown, because their wings refused to open. Much to their relief, they slammed head first into a gritty substance, and they hesitantly extracted their heads from the rough material.

After spitting out what seemed to be sand, they stood up and gazed around at their surroundings. An endless beach extended away from them on both sides, featureless and barren. They heard a soft rushing sound behind them, and as they turned around, all they could see was a vast expanse of water in every direction.

"I-I think we're on an island, Jewel. That ember must have taken us here. It sure lived up to its word."

"But, where _are _we? I think we are still on Earth, but something just feels...different."

"I know. It feels like we were taken from the jungle and thrown into a book. Or rather, the world that exists in the book. Let's look around some more."

As the two macaws turned around to face inland, an unimaginable sight caused their beaks drop open. In the apparent center of the island, a gargantuan structure towered up into the clear black sky. It seemed to scrape the myriad of stars above, and a pale crescent moon was peeking through the leaf-laden branches.

"Is that...a tree? That can't be possible! It must be hundreds of feet high! Have you ever seen anything that big, Jewel?"

"No, Blu. I haven't. Is this...a dream? I hope I wake up soon!"

As they stared up at the incomprehensible size of the tree in the distance, a pang of hunger seized their stomachs.  
>"Can we find something to eat, Blu? Our little 'trip' has left me hungry! If our hunger is real, this place must be real as well!"<p>

"Uh, I don't see any trees around here, save for that one. This whole island is just a huge patch of grass and rocks! Wait, what's that?"

Blu caught sight of a large gray creature as it dashed behind a boulder about ten feet away.

"I don't see anything. Are you sure you didn't imagine it? There's no telling what that ember did to us."

"I am sure. Just wait here. I will go investigate..."

Being as his wings still did not want to work, Blu resorted to trudging his way off of the beach and into the small field where the boulder lay. Upon reaching the large gray mass, he circled around to the rear. As he did so, a large rat squeaked in terror and dashed off.

"Was that a rat? Yuck! That is the last thing I want to eat!"

He turned to Jewel and yelled, "Come here!"

She walked over to him, and she noticed a frown plastered on his face. "What was it?"

"A rat. Nasty little things. I don't think we are going to find anything worth eating here, Jewel..."

He tilted his head to gaze at the tree once more, and he noticed a multitude of specks orbiting the branches. "Do you see that, Jewel? Look at the branches of the tree."

Jewel focused her vision as best as she could, and she saw exactly what her mate was seeing. "What are they? I can't make them out from here."

"I don't know. Let's head inland for a closer look. Maybe we can find some food along the way..."

The two hungry macaws clambered through several fields and over patches of stone as they drew closer to the massive tree. In addition to a few rats, several mice had dashed from the tall grass as they waded through it, along with a third creature that Bu could not identify.

They were now fairly close to the tree, and yet they were no closer to satisfying their hunger. "Why isn't there anything to eat around here! _Que lugar é esse? Eu exijo saber!_"

Jewel's frustrated screams curled out into the night, and she hoped that something, _somebody_, would answer them.

"Shhh, Jewel! Those things up there might hear us! We don't know what they can do!"

They had moved inland far enough to resolve a few more details of the specks that danced around high above. They could tell that the specks had wings, and they were painted a variety of different colors. That was the limit as to what they could observe so far.

"I don't care! Maybe those 'things' can help us!"

Blu gazed up once again, and to his horror, a small group of the winged creatures were gliding down straight at them. "_Veja o que você_ _fez! _We have to hide, and quick!"

Blu grabbed Jewel's wing and led her behind an arched rock. They heard no wing-beats, and they prayed that their pursuers had vanished. Instead, they heard the soft rustle of grass being parted, and before they could react, eight of the winged creatures appeared from around the corner.

One of them was a mix of brown and black feathers and was quite large. One was a ghostly white, and its eyes were starkly contrasting solid black spheres. Another was just as white, but it was much larger, and it had black feathers mixed in, in addition to yellow eyes.

Another was covered in soft red feathers, and it looked to be even in size with Blu and Jewel. Two others were a dull gray, and their eyes were as yellow as the sun. Another was quite small, and its body was streaked with white and black feathers.

The last one was also minuscule in size, and it was a mix of crimson and white feathers. It stepped forwards, and as if to add to their shock, it spoke to them. "Who and what in Glaux's name are you?"

The creature spoke with a heavy yet smooth accent, and it sounded like an English lilt to Blu. Gathering what shreds of courage he had left, he replied, "Uh, we...are called macaws. Spix's Macaws, actually. What are _you_? And what are _they_?"

"I am an Elf owl. These birds next to me are also owls. I have never heard of a 'macaw' before. Where did you come from?"

"We came from a...faraway place. It is called Rio de Janeiro..."

The eight creatures known as owls all tilted their heads at extreme angles in response. The leader, who was apparently female, replied, "Rio de...what? Are you playing jokes on me? "

"No! Not at all! It is a city in Brazil. And Brazil is on a continent called South America."

"I have no clue what you are talking about, but I will take your word for it. What are you doing here?"

"We are looking for some food to eat. We are very hungry."

This earned them slightly amused glares from the eight owls. "You don't have to look far. There are rats and mice everywhere!"

"This may sound odd, but we don't eat meat. We only eat fruit and nuts."

"Oh. Well, we have some fruit here, but we don't have any nuts. We have these things called milkberries. We can eat them raw, but we usually make them into snacks, like tarts and pie."

Well, that's good. We were starting to think that we were going to starve!"

"Oh, I almost forgot! What are your names?"

"I am Blu."

"My name is Jewel."

"Those are...nice names. My name is Gylfie. Are you two related, by any chance? You look very similar."

"Yes. Blu and I are mates."

"That's nice. If you like, we can show you around our home."

"Uh, sure! I just hope it isn't too much trouble for you."

"Glaux, no! I would be glad to! But before we go, I have one last question: How did you get here from that place you call South America?"

Jewel drew a breath and replied, "There was a storm in the jungle where we lived. Our home was destroyed by lightning, but then, we saw an ember. Then we heard a voice in our heads by the name of Glaux. I touched the ember, and then before we knew it, we ended up on this island."

The look on their faces had grown from curiosity to genuine alarm as she spoke. The owl known as Gylfie stepped right up to Jewel and asked, "Did you say Glaux?"

"Yes. Who is that?"

"Glaux is our ancestor, the first owl to inhabit the Earth. Every owl that has ever lived descended from Glaux. He is our...higher being, if you will."

"Wow. That explains the voice, but what about the ember we saw, Gylfie?"

"Can you describe it?"

"It was oval shaped, and it was pretty big. It was mostly orange, but the center was blue, and there was a ring of green in between them. Does that help?"

The eight owls simply stood there, stunned, and it took a few minutes for them to regain their composure. Gylfie grabbed Jewel and exclaimed, "That sounds like the Ember of Hoole! It must have brought you here! For what reason, I do not know, but this is astounding news nonetheless!"  
>"Really? What is the Ember of Hoole? And where is <em>here<em>?"

Blu added, "Are you going to tell someone about it? Is there any way you can 'take us to your leader?' Do you even have a leader?"

"Absolutely! We have a king and queen! We need to take you to see them at once! They will explain everything to you! Let's go!"

The eight owls hurriedly lifted off and flew straight for the massive tree. Blu and Jewel spread their wings, and much to their relief, they could fly once again. They followed in the wake of the owls, and their hunger made their flight that much more difficult.

The pure white owl from before drifted back to them and said, "Stick close to us, because you can get lost inside the tree if you aren't careful!"

"Wait, what? We could get lost _inside _of the tree? What do you mean!"

The owl had sped away before he could get an answer. The group of owls approached the massive trunk, and the two macaws in the rear, wondered how they were going to enter the tree. However, a large hole soon appeared in the trunk, and the owls flew effortlessly inside.

Blu and Jewel did as they were told, and they glided into the yawning hole in the wood. They were stunned to see a maze of passages leading away from the hole in every direction. Some went left or right, some went straight, and the rest went up or down.

Small flickering torches mounted on the walls filled the tunnels with a soft orange glow. Blu turned and spied a line of owls head, and he quickly scampered over to them. His mate soon joined him, and as they wound their way through the maze, they felt as if they were descending towards the base of the tree.

After a few more minutes of silent walking, the owls all stopped abruptly, and Blu nearly ran into the owl ahead of him.

"What's going on, Blu?"

"I don't know. I think we have arrived at our destination."

The other birds scooted forward into a small chamber, and Gylfie motioned for the two macaws to step forward. They hesitantly approached her, and a large, chocolate and white owl melted from shadows. They jumped back in fear, but the resolute form spoke to them in a soft voice.

"Hello. I am Cleve. I was told that you were somehow brought here by the Ember of Hoole. I am intrigued by this development, and I am sure that our king and queen will be too. Gylfie here has suggested that you speak with them. Do you agree?"

Jewel replied, "I suppose, uh, Cleve. When can we see them?"

"They are conducting their weekly consultation with the Parliament right now. They should be finished shortly."

Blu and Jewel merely nodded and scooted over to the nearby wall, their stomachs aching with hunger and anxiety.

Cleve turned to Gylfie and whispered, "You were wise to bring them here. I think I can take care of the rest. You should head back outside with your chaw now."

"Good idea, Cleve. See you later."

"Likewise, Gylfie."

Just before the Elf owl started down the tunnel, she turned to the two azure birds and said, "Bye, Blu! Bye, Jewel!"

"Uh, bye, Gylfie. Thank you for bringing us here..."

She noticed them shaking as they spoke, and she replied, "Don't worry! Everything will be fine. Cleve will take care of you, and our king and queen are very kind owls!"

The two macaws managed disheartened nods, and the Elf owl led the others down the dim tunnel. The thick silence in the hollow unnerved the two macaws, and Cleve's unmoving form only added to their discomfort. They would cast furtive glances at him when he wasn't looking, just to make sure he was still breathing.

Suddenly, they heard aloud shuffle from the other side of the door, and as it slid open, seven owls filed out. As Cleve closed the door behind them, they all paused to give Blu and Jewel bewildered looks. Blu stared back and muttered, "Uh, hi! We are new here!"

None of the owls replied, and they simply continued on their way. Cleve walked over to them and said, "That was the Parliament I told you about. Don't mind them. They were just astounded to see two creatures so...different from them. Wait here while I go see if you can speak with the monarchs..."

He went over to the door and casually slipped inside. Blu and Jewel decided to listen in, and they pressed their heads gently up against the door. The thick door had absorbed most of the sound, but they managed to catch a few snippets of Cleve's speech.

"...Navigation Chaw...macaws...faraway place...Ember..."

After a short silence, a lovely female voice announced, "Bring them in..."

They jumped away from the door moments before the gray owl opened it and stepped up to them.

"The monarchs have agreed to see you. I know you have not been here for long, and you know not of our ways, but do show a decent amount of respect to them. There is no need to be afraid, however. They are very caring owls, and I am confident that they will help you sort everything out..."

Cleve slid the door aside and waved them through. They tentatively stepped inside and jumped down from the small threshold. They paused momentarily to take in the sights of the spacious room before them.

As they brought their gaze to the center of the large space, they grew nervous once more. Perched before them, on a massive curved branch, were two ghostly white forms. Two pairs of haunting black eyes were fixed directly on them, and the owl on the left motioned for them to come forward...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Meus filhos.=My children.**

**Boa pergunta! Você me diz!=Good question! You tell me!**

**Meu Deus!=My God!  
><strong>

**Que diabos foi isso?=What the hell was that?**

**Que lugar é esse? Eu exijo saber!=What is this place? I demand to know!**

**Veja o que você fez!=See what you did!**


	2. An Intellectual Conversation

**Chapter 2:An Intellectual Conversation**

Blu and Jewel lofted onto a small pedestal that served as a perch, and after they settled themselves down, the owl on the left began the conversation.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. I am sure you have several questions that need answering, and we will do our best to provide you with them. May I inquire as to your names?"

The owl's confident voice helped to steady their nerves, and Jewel happily replied to his query. "My name is Jewel, and this is Blu. He and I are mates."

"Those are lovely names. My name is Soren, and this here is Pellimore, or Pelli for short. Pelli and I are mates as well, and we are also the king and queen of this island."

"Your names are nice, too. Does this island have a name, by any chance?"

The owl called Soren replied, "Of course! This is the island of Hoole, and the tree that we live in is known as the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. We, along with the hundreds of other owls that live here, are known as the Guardians of Ga'Hoole."

_The Great Ga'Hoole Tree, on the island of Hoole. Such a mysterious name..._

"How did this place get its name?And how did the Guardians come to be?" asked Blu curiously.

The female replied confidently, "The first king of this tree was a Spotted Owl by the name of Hoole. Legend tells that Hoole was an owl with Ga', or Great Spirit.

After he, along with his parents' army, defeated the hagsfiends, they came to this very island. As Hoole and his fellow owls flew over this island from the Northern Kingdoms to Beyond the Beyond, they stopped briefly on this barren island for a rest.

A single tree seedling had just sprouted from the ground, and as Hoole mourned for his recently killed mother, his tears stained the seedling. Afterwards, they had continued on to Beyond the Beyond, and that is when Hoole had captured the ember that bears his name.

The owls then returned to this island just over one moon cycle later, and much to their surprise, the tree had already grown to an impressive size. They claimed that the tree also possessed Ga', and that is how this island and the tree received their names. The milkberries that grow here are shaped like tears, just like the ones that Hoole had cried. That was over a thousand years ago, and this tree has been growing ever since.

They made Hoole their king, and they established a society aimed at spreading knowledge to others. They established a code of honor and justice, and they swore to protect their creation and all of the owls that were recipients of it. Thus, they became the Guardians of Ga'Hoole. Through the code that they established all those years ago, they have survived and thrived, and so here we are."

Blu could not believe what he just heard. This place was over a millennium old! It was all _so_ ancient, and yet _so _modern, just the same. This sure was one crazy world they had ended up in!

"Wow! That is so...mysterious. This kingdom does have a rich and extensive history!"

Pelli replied, "Indeed it does, Blu. But we will not fill you in on that right now. Could you describe to us how you arrived here?"

"Well, we were caught in a strange storm at our home in the jungle. Our tree was struck by oddly colored lightning, and when we went to inspect it, we saw an ember sitting on the trunk. It was blue in the middle, and orange on the outside.

In between those two colors was a thin ring of bright green. We heard a voice in our heads by the name of...Glaux, and it told us that he had called for us. He told us that we had a trial to complete, and all we had to do was touch the ember thing.

My mate here grabbed the ember, and we were somehow carried away by it. After traveling through a tunnel of sorts, we were dropped on the beach. That is when some other owls found us. We were looking for food, because we were very hungry. We still are, by the way..."

A contemplative look passed over the faces of the two owls, and several moments passed before they replied.

"That indeed sounds like the Ember of Hoole. I wonder why Glaux would call you to our world? That is one question that Soren and I cannot answer. Can you remember at all what was said to you?"

Jewel shut her eyes for a few seconds, and then she opened them back up as the words came flooding back into her mind. "Glaux said that there would be 'friendships we must forge,' and 'enemies we must fight.' He told us that we also had to 'wield the claws.' Does that help at all, Pelli?"

"Hmmm. I don't understand the part about the friendships at all. Nor do I understand the part about the enemies. We have been living peacefully for over two years now, ever since the War of The Ember. As for the 'wield the claws' line, he was most likely referring to battle claws. But-"

"Battle claws! What are _those_? Oh, sorry for interrupting..."

"It's okay, Blu. Curiosity is a trait to be embraced, not hidden. Battle claws are what we mainly use to fight, but they have many other uses."

They took a good look at the talons of the two owls, and they realized that they were much more deadly than their own. Why would any owl need to make them even more so?

"Why do you need to wear claws to fight? Your claws already look dangerous enough!"

Jewel's exclamation earned her a serious glare from the two owls, and she immediately feared that she had somehow crossed the line.

The female owl declared, "That is how owls have always preferred to fight. Ever since the first pair were forged in Hoole's time by his friend, Theo, they eventually became the weapons of choice for battle.

We are not violent by nature, but when we are threatened, as we have been many, many times throughout our existence, we do all we can to defend our home and each other.

Quite often there is bloodshed, but that is the way conflicts are meant to be. If one wins the battle, another must lose. We hope that we do not come across as savages to you..."

The realization that they had entered such an unstable realm stunned them, but that did not make them think any less of these owls. In fact, they were utterly intrigued by everything that hey had heard thus far.

Blu immediately attempted to assuage their concerns. "No, no, no. We do not think that at all. The world that we used to live in was peaceful by comparison, but perhaps when we learn more of your history, we can truly understand the reasoning as to why you called upon them. We hope that you will allow us to study your past whenever the time is right, if there is a means to do so..."

Soren and Pelli were pleasantly surprised by the speech that the male macaw had given them. He seemed very intelligent and intuitive, and they were relieved that he was not deterred by the violence that they had described.

"You seem to grasp our mindset quite well. I am quite surprised at your level of comprehension. I appreciate your acceptance of our reality, being as it is apparently much less restrained than yours. Feel free to visit our library at anytime to read up on our history. The bookkeeper can assist you in finding whatever it is that you would like to read."

"Wonderful! But, how will we know where to go? There are so many tunnels! We would probably get lost!"

"Oh, no need to worry! After we finish talking, Pelli and I will gladly show you the way!"

After the male finished his reply, Blu's stomach rumbled audibly, causing bemused expressions to surface on the two owls' faces.

"You and your mate must be terribly hungry! We apologize for keeping you waiting. Would you like some roasted vole?"

"Uh, no thanks. Jewel and I don't eat...meat. We are basically vegetarians..."

"Oh. Well, would you like to try some milkberry tart? They are very delectable treats, but my words can't do them justice!" replied Pelli.

"Uh, sure."

"Splendid! Let me go tell Cleve to bring some up right away."

The female owl flew over their heads and alighted in front of the entrance door. She exited smoothly and closed the door behind her. After a few moments, she slipped back in and glided back to her spot.

"Cleve will be back shortly. While we wait, can you describe what your home looked like?"

"Of course, Pelli. We lived in..."

As Blu took the time to describe the sanctuary and the surrounding city, their eyes flashed with enjoyment.

"...and that is basically how our home looked."

"How pleasant it must have been. We are sorry that you were taken away from it so suddenly. Perhaps you can find your way back one day..."

Just then, a steady tapping sound emanated from behind the two macaws, and Soren exclaimed, "Oh, Cleve is here! Are you ready to eat?"

The two macaws gave quick nods, and Soren flew over to the door to retrieve their meals. The pale owl returned to his perch, and the two macaws wondered where the food was. They were shocked to see two ceramic plates moving over to them on the back of a snake.

The violet creature slithered to a stop in front of them and greeted them warmly. "Hello! You sure are lovely birds. What are your names?"

"Uh, I'm Blu."

"I am Jewel. What is yours?"

"I am a nest-maid snake by the name of Mrs. Plithiver. But everyone calls me Mrs. P."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. P.," replied Blu, albeit a bit shakily.

Soren smiled and exclaimed, "Mrs. P. is our nest-maid, and she is one of many that occupy the tree. These snakes are blind, but they still help out as we go about our lives. They help take care of the eggs that the Guardians lay, and they are also involved in many fine arts. You will come to find out about those things later. But enough talk from me. Go ahead and eat!"

The sensuous aroma drifting up from the pink squares in front of them was almost hypnotic. They tried to avoid cramming their beaks into it however, and they took careful, measured bites. The sweet taste of the tarts was like nothing they had ever consumed, and the flavor of the fruits back home now seemed so ordinary.

After they finished their stomach pleasing meal, the snake slithered away, the now-clean plates clinking quietly as she exited the way she had came. Blu and Jewel looked up to the two monarchs contentedly, and Pelli asked jovially, "How was it?"

"It was wonderful! We could get used to eating it! Nothing back home could even compare to it, Soren!"

"We are glad you liked it! It is our treat to you. Now, would you like to know about the different areas of our world?"

"Sure!"

"We don't have a map in here, so-"

"Pardon me, dear, but why don't we take them to the library now?"

"Oh. Of course, Pelli! Let's go."

The two owls made for the door, and the two macaws soon followed. After Soren had informed Cleve of their intentions, the four birds wound their way through a myriad of passages. They marveled at how the king and queen knew exactly which tunnel to switch off to, or choose the right side of a fork when they came to one.

After a short journey around to the opposite side of the trunk, the four owls entered a spacious, well-lit hollow. Books of every size and shape filled the shelves, filling the macaws with a sense of awe once again. There was a sizable desk in the center of the room, but there was no one occupying it at the moment.

"Hmmm. Otulissa must be away. No matter. Let me find the right book..."

Soren peered around at the loaded shelves, carefully reading each spine in search for an appropriate tome.

"Ah! Here we are!"

He plucked a rather voluminous work from a corner shelf and brought it to the vacant desk. He slapped it down on the desk and began flipping determinedly through it.

"What is that book called, Soren?"

Soren did not lift his gaze from the book as he replied, "Atmospheric Pressures and Turbulations: An Interpreter's Guide. It details many things, from the structure of storms, to the weather patterns that affect the various kingdoms. I am looking for the map that is used to visualize them..."

After a few more moments of steady page-flipping, he came across the map in question. He slid the book over so that all of them could focus on it, and the two macaws gazed down at the assortment of colored shapes that filled the two side by side pages.

"This here, on the left page, is called the N'yrthghar, or the Northern Kingdoms. It is a frozen, unforgiving land, but some species of owls, among other animals, have made homes there. The Everwinter Sea is the main body of water, and it is dotted by several major islands, as you can see.

The Bitter Sea to the northwest is home to the Glauxian Brothers Retreat, which was also the birthplace of Hoole, our first king. The Glauxian Sisters, however, live on Elsemere Island. On the eastern border of the sea lie the Ice Talons. The owls who lived among Ice Talons were, for a time, the enemy of the owls and snakes who lived on the Tridents.

A series of wars between the Kielians and the League of The Ice Talons were fought here. Lastly, the Hrath'ghar Mountains form the northern border, and from them comes the Hrath'ghar glacier. A group of pirate owls known as the kraals live near the glacier, and they are not friendly to any owls other than their own kind. I will let Pelli teach you about our kingdom now, as I am out of breath!"

"Just rest yourself dear! I will take care of it."

Blu and Jewel now gazed intently at the right page as Pelli began to speak.

"Our land is known as the S'yrthghar, or the Southern Kingdoms. Our island lies in the middle of the Hoolemere Sea, right here. There are several regions on the mainland, but I will only cover the most significant ones. The St. Aegolius canyons were once home to an army of evil owls led by two filthy owls called Skench and Spoorn.

They kidnapped owlets and recruited adults to be their servants. They used the light of the moon to moon-blink them, turning them all into mindless slaves. They used them to mine bits of material known as flecks, and they planned to use the flecks to take over the rest of the Southern Kingdoms.

My mate was captured as an owlet by them, but he found a way to resist being moon-blinked. He met another owl that did the same, and they eventually escaped. It was a horror beyond measure for him, and he can tell you some dreadful stories..."

The two macaws looked up from the tome, and a depressed light had filled Soren's eyes. He said nothing, and he merely motioned for them to focus back on the book.

"The Shadow Forest is home to the Palace Of Mists, which very few owls know exists. A Boreal Owl known as Bess is the sole inhabitant, and she maintains a library much more grand than ours. It is full of historical texts and manuscripts from every time period imaginable.

In Ambala lives a mysterious owl known as Mist, for that is how she appears to most, a mere cloud of vapor in the air. She is a dear friend of Soren, and he met her during his imprisonment at St. Aggies. She also has another name, Hortense, and that is how we still refer to her as.

Over in the Tyto Forest live all sorts of owls that have Tyto in their formal names. Soren was born here, and this is also where the River Hoole begins its journey towards the sea. The Ice Narrows up there lead to the Northern Kingdoms from before.

The land known as Beyond the Beyond is home to a band of wolves. The land contains the five volcanoes of the Sacred Ring, and that is where the Ember of Hoole resides. Only two owls have managed to dive into the volcano to retrieve it, thus becoming the rightful kings of Ga'Hoole. Hoole was the first, and only a few years ago, Soren's nephew Coryn did the same."

Lastly, although this map is too old to show it, there is a sixth kingdom that was discovered a few years ago. Far on the northwest coast of the Beyond lies the edge of a large sea. It is known as the Sea of Vastness, and across it lies what we call the Middle Kingdom.

High above the sea is a fast moving stream of air, and it is the only way to cross the sea. Soren and a few of his friends found their way into it, back before the War, and they named it the River of Wind. The owls that live there speak their own language, Jouzhen, and they are very spiritual in nature.

The most striking feature is that, although they are all owls, their feathers are various shades of blue, quite like yours. They have also developed their own fighting style, in accordance with one of the rules laid down in the Theo Papers. Theo was their first H'ryth, and he deemed killing with _any_sort of weaponry profane, and so the art of Danyar was born.

It is difficult to explain, but basically, the owls fill their lungs with a huge volume of air, and when they release it, they fly at incredible speeds. They fly directly at their enemies and hit them with every fiber of their being, knocking them unconscious. The unconscious owls are killed instead by the fall, whether it be onto the ground below, or into the sea. This way, the owls kill as cleanly as possible.

The owls there can live for hundreds of years, and Soren met a few of them on his journey. Tengshu guards the end of the River of Wind, where it spills out into his kingdom. Another owl, who is a direct spritual descendant of Theo, is a Burrowing Owl, and as the other spiritual leaders before him, is also known as the H'ryth.

However, there is another group of owls there that were descended from hagsfiends, and they are known as the dragon owls. The Theo Papers provided a means to render them powerless by enthralling them with their own vanity. They are kept under control by this _illusion_of power, and they are prevented from reverting back to the murderous hagsfiends that preceded them.

We are still in the process of uncovering their secrets, since the journey over to their kingdom is so dangerous. That is all that you need to know for now, and granted, it is a lot to process. You can always come back here and re-read whatever interests you..."

Blu and Jewel paused to try and soak up the information, and a few moments of quiet persisted. Suddenly, a question popped into Blu's head, and he hoped that it wasn't too intrusive.

"I don't mean to change the subject, but what ever happened to him? Your nephew, I mean."

"He was killed in The War of The Ember, which occurred just over two years ago. The Pure Ones rose up after I came to the Great Tree, following my escape from St. Aggies. They were too stupid to recognize the power that the flecks could have over an owl, but the Pure Ones were not.

They took over St. Aggies. and began launching attacks on us with the intent of wiping us out. They believed that only Tyto owls like Pelli and I were fit to inhabit this planet, and they wanted to rid the Earth of all other owl species..."

_Why does this sound so familiar? Uh...oh, I remember! They must have possessed the same mindset as the Nazis! They must have been as ruthless as Hitler and his goons were! I wonder how many owls were lured into serving them..._

"Is something wrong, Blu?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I was just thinking. Please go on, Soren."

"A Barn Owl like myself known as Nyra was their queen, and my brother, Kludd, was her mate. Coryn was her son, and hence my nephew. His mother raised him to be the next ruler of the Pure Ones, but he was a noble owl from birth, and he fled their tyranny as soon as he could.

He then retrieved the Ember of Hoole and became our king. Nyra raised an army a few thousand strong to reclaim the Ember, for she knew that she could secure her dominion over this planet if she could use its power. We also raised an army to fight her, and the final battle was held in Beyond the Beyond.

We eventually defeated them, but Coryn was killed. He had returned the Ember back into the volcano from which he had taken it from before his death. Nyra would never have been able to retrieve it after that, so she was basically finished. Just before my nephew's death, I killed his mother, and by then, her army had already been routed.

I was then crowned the next king of Ga'Hoole, much to my surprise. Things have been well ever since that terrible night, thank Glaux. A new age of learning and cooperation has spread across the seven kingdoms, and the peace we have fought so hard to renew is finally here..."

Blu blinked to suppress his tears, and he replied, "Oh my. I never could have imagined. That was...amazing! I have never heard such a colorful explanation in my entire life. I give you my deepest thanks for all of this..."

"You are most welcome. Although the path that the Guardians followed to get here was not a pleasant one, I feel that we have switched over to one that is. I pray to Glaux that it will stay that way."

Jewel then asked, "Is there any way that we can find a place to rest? This whole ordeal has left me exhausted, no offense to you, however. I appreciate all that you have done to clarify our questions."

"None taken, Jewel," chided Soren. "Let's find you a nice cozy hollow for the night."

Pelli replaced the book on the shelf while the others made for the exit. The female owl tagged along behind Jewel as they climbed up the inside of the tree along the empty hallways. Blu began to feel drowsy as well, and as soon he realized that was nighttime, he concocted another question.

"Hey, Soren?"

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you, Pelli, and the rest of the Guardians sleeping?"

"A wise question, Blu. You see, we live our lives at night, and sleep during the day. It is going to be hard for you both to adjust, and we will have to work out a way to address this problem. But for now, just focus on getting settled down."

"Okay, Soren We will do our best..."

Soren and Pelli led them to an unoccupied hollow at the end of a fork in one of the crown branches. Through a conveniently placed aperture in the branch, a sizable portion of the sea far below could be seen, along with the sky above.

Every so often, a group of owls would fly by, paying no attention to the two strange birds that were watching them. The two macaws plopped themselves down into a mossy nest, and the monarchs bid them a good night's rest. Blu and Jewel returned the favor, and the Soren and Pelli vanished back the way they had came.

They had decided to head outside and watch the Guardians conducting their chaw practices, only stopping to relieve Cleve of his sentry duties before they did so. They exited out of a mid-level hole in the massive trunk and alighted on a stout branch.

As the Guardians flew about in the clear air out in front of them, Pelli turned to Soren and cleared her throat. She had held very pressing areas of concern in her mind ever since the meeting.

"Soren, dear?"

"Yes?"

"What are we going to do with those two strange birds? They have completely reversed sleeping habits than we do. I don't mean to sound condescending, but they will most likely come under fire over the fact that they have...different digestive systems. Then there is the question of Guardian training. It is going to take time to sort these things out..."

Soren had been harboring these concerns as well, and he felt the same as his mate. However, they would both work together to come up with feasible solutions.

"Regardless of how they may function, in terms of sleep habits or...otherwise, we have to make their stay here as comfortable as possible. The ultimate goal right now is for them to fulfill Glaux's request and find a way to get them home.

If it comes to our attention that the Guardians are becoming wary or hostile of them, we will have to consult them on the matter. I think we should meet with the Parliament over the matter tomorrow at First Black, with Blu and Jewel present, of course. We can sort out everything then, Pelli."

Her worries temporarily subdued, Pelli turned back to watch the myriad of owls flying about in the pale light of the crescent moon high above. Despite the calm night that they were enfolded in, their two gizzards were in a state of unrest.

They knew that they had to help the two blue birds on their journey, but what obstacles would they face along the way? Would the Guardians sympathize with their new visitors, or would they reject them based on the multitude of differences between them.

Both Soren and Pelli knew that it was one of the basic principles of the Guardians to look beyond the outer shells of one another and look instead at the internal being, the true being, of their brethren.

The question is: Would the Guardians do the same?

Tomorrow's nightfall would provide them with the answer...


	3. The Vote Is Cast

**Chapter 3:The Vote Is Cast**

The macaws slept soundly through the night, despite the hustle and bustle of the Guardians outside. The blackness of the night eventually became threadbare, and the rising sun shone brightly upon the Sea of Hoolemere.

The Guardians slowly filed into the tree and wearily headed towards their respective hollows as the sun crested the horizon. The shimmer from outside had been blocked by a moss curtain hanging over the nearby port hole, and it was not able to wake them.

They were dredged from their sleep by a rough throat-clearing sound, and as they peeled their eyes open, they realized that this hollow in fact belonged to someone. A miniature owl was standing in front of them, and it laid a questioning, angry gaze upon them.

It was mostly white, save for numerous thin black streaks all over, and its eyes were a rich yellow color. "What in Glaux's name are _you_, and why are you in _my _hollow?"

"Uh, hi! We were just sleeping here for the night because Soren and Pelli told us to. We are called Spix's Macaws!"  
>exclaimed Blu.<p>

"Oh really? How did you get here? The only flying creatures that live in this tree are owls!"

"We came here yesterday from...somewhere far away, somewhere a lot different than here. Blu and I don't know how it happened, either..."

"I see. Well, if you don't mind, could you please leave so I can _get some sleep_!"

The tiny male owl's hostility shocked them, despite the fact that Blu and Jewel were at least three times his size. They nervously clambered from the soft nest that they had occupied and made their way out of the hollow.

They peeked their heads around the corner and watched as the owl sat down in the nest with a huff.

"Okay. That was odd. I guess not every owl is as friendly as the king and queen!"

"_Você pode dizer isso de novo_, Jewel. _Para cada um na sua..._"

They quietly walked away and entered one of the many corridors that lined the trunk, unsure of where it would take them. Back in the hollow, the Saw-Whet Owl was confused and irritated by what he had just seen.

"I have never seen any bird that looked as strange as those two! No creature in all of the six kingdoms even resembles them! I guess they must have been telling the truth.

But still, why would the king and queen allow two wet-poopers into the tree? Preposterous! I am going to tell all my friends about this at tweener.

Hopefully the Parliament will do something about them, preferably rid them from the tree. They have no place among us!"

The Saw-Whet Owl concluded his rant, but his gizzard was still churning with anger as he settled into an agitated sleep. After he announced it to his friends at the Guardians' evening meal, it would only be a matter of time before every single Guardian knew about the two strange birds that had been "invited" into the tree.

Not only that, they had been invited by their very own king and queen! The Northern Saw-Whet Owl knew that the monarchs were going to come under a lot of fire for this, and he was going to set it all into motion...

The two macaws roamed the corridor, which was surprisingly dim despite the morning sun shining steadily outside. The hall was filled with the echoing sighs of sleeping owls, and it made their search that much more creepy. Much to their relief, they spotted a bright shaft of light streaming into the narrow passageway as they rounded a bend.

"Finally! A way out! I guess it really is possible to get lost in here!"

"Who could have thought? This place is just so..._big_! But that only adds to the wonder! Anyways, how about we head out and get some sun?"

"_Nenhum argumento aqui. Mostre o caminho!_"

The two macaws glided from the port and out into the glorious rays of the rising sun. They weaved through the air beneath the leaf-laden branches of the tree, completely forgetting the unfriendly greeting by the tiny owl.

"It feels so nice out here! Too bad that the Guardians are night-sleepers. They have no idea what they're missing!"

"You are exactly right, Blu! In fact, this nice weather kind of reminds me of home. The still air, the warm sunshine, the scents of the jungle..."

Jewel soared up into the sky and planted herself on a lower branch belonging to the massive crown. Blu spiraled up to join her, and the homesickness that she was feeling was reciprocated to him as well.

As they gazed out across the glittering expanse of water, Blu declared, "I know that you miss Rio, Jewel. So do I. But we can't let despair get the better of us.

We need to hold on to the hope that we will eventually find our way back. How we will accomplish that is anyone's guess, but the mere possibility that it can be accomplished is reason enough to hope."

Jewel exhaled a reassured sigh and turned to her mate. "Yeah. You're right. No matter how dire the situation, you always know how to lift my spirits, Blu. Somehow I know that we will get out of this, together, and hope will be there to keep us going..."

"That's right, honey. Together..."

The two macaws sidled up to each other and continued their observation of the serene landscape all around. They relaxed in content silence for over half an hour, and that very silence was broken by a groaning sound from Blu's stomach.

"Wow, I must be hungry! But what will we eat? There is no one to bring us any food..."

As Jewel glared at her mate, a long vine at his feet caught her attention.

"Blu! Look at the vine hanging from this branch. There is some sort of berry growing from it!"

Blu leaned over to inspect the green tendril that sprouted from the branch at his feet, and it was indeed covered in small, pink, berry-like growths.

"What the? Let me see how they taste..."

He grabbed the vine with his foot and carefully pulled it towards himself. He brought the tendril within beak reach and deftly plucked a berry from it. He then lowered it back down to its former position, and it was left swinging slowly back and forth.

He closed his beak, and the soft berry popped open inside of it. A sweet liquid squirted out, and his eyes widened at the luscious juice that coated his tongue. It reminded him of the tart that they had consumed the night before, and his brain instantly connected the dots.

"Jewel! That was a milkberry! That must be the fruit of this tree! It tastes exactly like the tart that the snake brought to us. Try one!"

Jewel imitated Blu's method for plucking the berries, and she quickly tossed one inside of her beak. A small dose of the juice painted the inside of her beak, and she drew the same conclusion as her mate had just done.

"They are delicious! This tree sure does have its perks! Maybe the king and queen will have more delivered to us tonight."

"Hopefully, Jewel! In the meantime, how about we have some more?"

"Why not?"

The two macaws had each eaten all of the berries from two whole vines, which seemed to be dangling from special points all over every single branch in sight.

Being as the weather was exceptional and the fact that Guardians were sleeping, they decided to do some exploring around the island. They executed a circumnavigational flight around the entire island, and nothing seemed particularly interesting along the shores.

They moved in closer to the tree orbited the island once again. They were flying at a decent altitude above the western sector of the island when Blu caught sight of a sizable indention in the side of a small hill. He dive-bombed towards the hill with his mate close behind.

They braked skillfully to slow their flight, and they landed just outside of what looked like an entrance to a tunnel. They hesitantly crept inside, and the mouth of the tunnel seemed to swallow them up. They noticed a reddish glow deep inside, and as they rounded a bend in the tunnel, they had to keep from jumping as the soft glow illuminated the sleeping form of a large owl, larger than any they had seen so far.

The glow was powerful enough to reveal that the owl in question was covered heavily in streaks of brown and black feathers.

Jewel rapidly calmed herself and whispered, "Woah. That nearly scared my feathers off! I wonder who this is? We need to ask Soren later on and find out."

"Me too! How could an owl even live in a tunnel like this? It is so warm in here! Anyways, asking Soren sounds like a good idea. And as for the glow, it's coming from that metal bowl over there. Let's find out what is causing it."

They slid their way past the sleeping owl and neared the three-legged metal bowl. Nestled inside were about two dozen embers, and the heat they were giving off forced Blu and Jewel to stand back a few inches.

"More embers. What on earth could this owl use them for?"

"I have no idea, Jewel. There are a few tools stuck into them, too."

A pair of tongs was buried into the embers, as was a small, sharp spike. As Blu looked away from the ember bowl, a large solid mass a short ways to his right caught his eye. He approached it curiously, and upon the broad, flat surface lay a hammer of some sort.

"Jewel, come here," he said without turning around.

"What is it, Blu?"

"This is a hammer and an anvil. I think that this owl works with metal."

"Is there a name for it?"

"It's a...blacksmith! That owl is a blacksmith! He-"

Blu's revelation was unintentionally loud, and the two macaws heard a shuffling from behind them. They froze on the spot and prayed dearly for the burly creature to stay asleep. A few gut-wrenching moments passed, and the shuffling eventually died away.

The two macaws regained their composure, followed by a hot whisper from Jewel.

"Blu! You almost got us caught! Do you need help keeping your emotions under control?"

"_Sinto muito! _Maybe we should get out of here, just in case."

"_Você acha? _Come on, loud-beak!"

The macaws hastily tromped from the tunnel, with Jewel pulling her mate by his wing. They stopped just outside the mouth of the tunnel, and they had to adjust their eyes to the dazzling glare of the sun. Blu and Jewel lofted into a low-level flight and flew around the tree in search of any other tunnels.

As they neared the opposite side of the sturdy trunk after a few minutes of scouting, Jewel spied a sizable rock nestled up against the base of the massive tree off to her right.

"What is that stone doing there? It looks important."

"There's only one way to find out, right?"

They landed among a mass of tangled roots that ranged from the thickness of a pencil to the girth of a telephone pole. They weaved their way through the maze until they reached the gray boulder. The roots apparently refused to grow in the area near the stone, and they began to inspect the edges for any way past it.

Blu noticed a small gap in between the left side of the rock and the trunk, and he was able to force his way past. Jewel was on the other side of the rock, and she had not seen Blu enter. She saw no way to get in on her side, so she rounded the boulder, only to find her mate absent.

"Blu? Where did you go?"

Blu peered through the small gap and replied, "In here! You have to squeeze in sideways!"

She found the small gap he was referring to, and she promptly followed his instructions. The two macaws found themselves in near utter darkness, and they could think of only one way to let more light into the tunnel.

They pushed fervently on the boulder from the inside, and they managed to shift it just enough to allow a thin stream of light to flow in from the now-enlarged gap.

As they walked deeper into the tunnel, the beam of light had been interrupted by Jewel's body, and Blu noticed her distorted shadow projected onto the dirt floor. He stopped her with his outstretched wing and said, "You are blocking the light, honey. Step closer to me."

"Oh. No wonder my back felt so warm."

She slid over to him, and as the stream of photons completed their course, a stunning flash burned away the darkness. Their beaks dropped open in awe as the glare revealed a large space before them, and upon the walls were nearly a dozen golden racks. Upon those racks were a myriad of soft blue shapes, and every so often they would glitter and sparkle.

"Oh my god! This is an armory! And those weapons! They are made of...of..."

"Ice, Jewel! This is the armory for the Guardians' ice weapons..."

The assortment of glittering arms ranged from tiny splinters to hefty swords, from deadly daggers to menacing scimitars. No matter which model of weapon they looked at, they could tell that each and every one of them was honed to a sickening sharpness.

"This is...so amazing! I would never dream of fighting an owl that could use one of these..."

"They are beautiful and murderous, all at the same time. I can't even imagine the damage one of these could inflict. It's enough to give anyone nightmares. It appears that the Guardians are more than capable of defending themselves, and even going on the offense if need be."

As much as they yearned to hold one of the ice weapons, they did not know how fragile they were, and thus they refrained. They resorted to walking around the room and feeling the edges of the weapons, applying only the lightest of touches.

Blu and Jewel soon discovered that they were indeed as sharp as they looked, and it gave them pause once again. After spending over an hour exploring and contemplating the deadly gallery, the two macaws returned back into the daylight, their minds reeling from the enormity of what they had just seen.

The sun had already crossed high noon, but oddly, the atmosphere had remained pleasantly mild, augmented by a soul-stirring breeze. Blu and Jewel opted to fly back up to the vast expanse of branches above and take a short nap.

They found a cool, shaded spot on one of the lower branches, reclining carefully against the junction of the branch with the main trunk. The gentle, crispy rushing noise of the rocking, verdant boughs was accompanied by the slow dance of the milkberry vines that cascaded from them.

The Great Tree's display served to induce much-welcomed unconsciousness in Blu and Jewel, and they jovially slept the day away.

As if to provide a wake-up call for the two macaws, the wind had picked up significantly as the sun prepared for its union with the horizon. A maverick gust sent the berry-laden tendrils flailing around, and they unceremoniously slapped Blu and Jewel multiple times.

"What is...with this wind? How rude! I find getting slapped with strings of berries very humiliating..."

"_Esqueça o vento! _We need to try and find Soren and Pelli! They might be awake by now, Blu."

"Oh, right! But how will we find them? But we have no idea where their private hollow is."

"_Bem, podemos sempre perguntar a alguém._ Perhaps he or she will be nice _enough _to tell us, or better yet, take us there."

"Good point! Let's get our tail-feathers moving..."

The two macaws dropped from the dizzying height of the branch and fought their way through the tumultuous winds, aiming for one of the dozens of port holes that riddled the trunk. They passed through the opening and gained immediate relief from the maelstrom.

However, they did not stop and contemplate the relief that the corridor brought. They decided to trust their instincts and search the lower sector of the tree first. They chose a path that appeared to be down-sloping and began trotting along it at once.

As they followed the narrow path unerringly, their choice was proving fruitful, for it seemed that they continued moving closer and closer to the base of the immense trunk. As they neared yet another bend in the dim hall, they heard hushed chattering spilling out of an adjoining hall to their right.

They neared the junction and stopped directly in front of the ovoid opening, peering intently into the up-sloping path. The soft banter, apparently female, grew in intensity, and as the two macaws braced themselves, three hauntingly pale owls rounded a bend and froze upon seeing them.

Blu immediately steeled his nerves and stepped forwards, causing the three female owls to shrink back visibly.

"Hello. I am Blu, and this is Jewel. We are looking for the hollow of the king and queen. Can you kindly show us the way?"

The three Barn Owls stared hesitantly at each other for several moments. Being as they did not reply, Blu and Jewel turned from them and attempted to walk away.

"No, wait! We will...uh...lead you there. That is...the same place we are headed."

Blu and Jewel stopped promptly, and they watched as the three owls ambled past them, nervous glints flashing in their six jet-black orbs. Blu and Jewel made to follow, and the owls had remained pointedly silent for the rest of the journey.

After the occasional switch off to an adjacent tunnel, the passageway eventually twisted around in a tight spiral, and as the five birds emerged from it, a straight passageway led away from it for a few feet. The five birds resumed walking, and they came upon a dense curtain of moss overhanging a nearly circular opening.

The three female owls whirled around, and the one on the left declared, "Here we are. They should already be awake by now."

"Thank you for showing us the way. We probably never would have made it here."

The owl in the middle replied, "You...are welcome. Come on in..."

The Barn Owls slipped through the moss curtain one by one, but Blu and Jewel hesitated.

"How did they know the right way to go? And why did they all have that familiar glint in their eyes?"

"Good question, Blu. Let's find out."

They quickly slipped past the entrance and emerged into a roomy hollow, much larger than they had expected. The three owls were conversing with the king and queen in the middle of the room, and the two macaws determinedly stepped up beside them.

"Hello, Soren! Hello, Pelli!" exclaimed Blu.

"Likewise, Blu. And the same to you, Jewel. How was your day?" queried Soren.

Blu had to be careful not to detail their "explorations" into the blacksmith's tunnel or the ice weapon armory, and his response was skeletal as a result.

"It was quite nice, actually We flew around the island for a bit, and we decided to eat some milkberries for breakfast. We tired ourselves out though, so we took a brief nap."

"Splendid. So I take it that your first day here was an enjoyable one?"

"Yes, Soren. It was. Oh, and if I may ask, who are these three owls that were kind enough to bring us here?"

Soren turned away to thank the three owls for their hospitality, and he quickly turned back to Blu and Jewel.

With a proud smile he intoned, "Blu, Jewel, I would like you to meet my three daughters: Bell, Sebastiana, and Blythe."

The three females then turned happily to Blu and Jewel with the intent of clarifying which name belonged to which owl.

The owl on the left began, "I am Blythe!"

The middle owl added, "I am Sebastiana, or Bash for short."

The final owl concluded, "My name is Bell!"

Blu and Jewel paused to soak in what Soren had told them, and the familiar twinkle in his daughters' eyes cemented his announcement.

"I knew that there was something familiar about your eyes. I never would have guessed that you were Soren's daughters! I am pleased to meet you all!"

"As am I!"

Bell, Bash, and Blythe replied, "As are we!"

Pelli then stepped up to the two macaws and said, "It was wise of you to come here. We have decided to vote on how to best approach your 'situation,' and as soon as First Black arrives, we will need you to come with us to the Parliament Hollow.

We will explain your dilemma to them, and then they will vote. We hope that they vote in favor of allowing you to start the Guardian training process, and more importantly, to allow you to stay at the tree."

Her mate added, "Although we are the monarchs of the tree, our power does have limits, and the Parliament is the physical manifestation of those limits. We will do our best to convince them that you are here for a most dire reason, but they will be the ones to decide your fate."

Blu and Jewel gulped, and they were too nervous to reply. They gazed sadly at his daughters, and Soren immediately picked up on it.

"What is the matter? Did I say something I shouldn't have? If I did, I will apologize."

Blu gazed at the ground and mumbled, "No, Soren. We understand. It's just that...your children remind us of our own. The children that we left behind..."

Jewel brought her gaze up to meet his and added, "We miss them deeply. We fear that if we are voted against by the Parliament, we will not complete the prophecy, meaning that we will never get to see our three beloved children again..."

Soren turned away and glared at Pelli, a depressed light filling their eyes simultaneously. Pelli moved closer to them and tipped their faces up with her wing.

"Perhaps we will never understand the sorrow that you feel for your loss, but you both must hope that things will turn out for the better. A hope is like a dream, in the sense that if you believe strongly enough in it, it will become reality."

Pelli drew her wing back, and Blu and Jewel nodded courageously.

"Thank you, Pelli. We will do our best..."

"That's the spirit. Now, why don't you take a rest for awhile. The Parliament meeting isn't due for at least another half-hour. You can go relax in our nest, if you so choose."

They nodded once again and walked towards the pile of twigs in the corner, lined with unbelievably soft moss. As Blu and his mate settled down in it, they heard Soren's daughters ask for an explanation of their situation. He and his mate took the time to recite the journey that Blu and Jewel had taken, and he left not a single detail overlooked.

It consumed a reasonable amount of time, and the two macaws grew drowsy halfway through the story. They slipped into a light sleep, but it lasted only mere moments, for Pelli came over and nudged them awake.

"It is time for the Parliament meeting. Come along, Blu and Jewel."

"What? Huh? How do you know? How can you tell if the sun has set if you can't even _see _it?"

"I don't need to see it, Blu. I can _feel _it in my gizzard. It is going to vanish below the horizon about...now. In a few more minutes, First Black will arrive, and the Guardians will all be awake. Now come on. Let's get this over with as soon as possible..."

After a short trek back the way they had came, Soren's daughters had said goodbye to them, stating that they had to head to the Dining Hollow for their version of "breakfast."

They vanished down an adjacent hallway, and the five remaining birds continued on the Parliament Hollow. They arrived in the small chamber where Cleve was stationed, and Pelli sent him off to gather the other members of the tree's ruling body.

Soren and his mate instructed them to perch on a small branch separate from the main one, allowing them to be in full view of the owls. The monarchs alighted in the middle of the hulking white branch that curved around the hollow. They told the two macaws to simply remain calm and speak only when spoken to.

Blu and Jewel did their best to hide their anxiety, and although they appeared resolute on the outside, what they were feeling internally was a different story.

After a relatively short wait, the entrance door slid open, and one by one, a cadre of different owl species filed in, and as they perched themselves along the arcing branch, Blu and Jewel could feel their stares burning holes in them.

After all seven of the owls were accounted for, Soren cleared his throat as the door slid shut.

"Before we attend to the weekly matters of this tree, there is another more pressing issue to resolve first."

Soren drew a voluminous breath and fixed his gaze on Blu and Jewel. "These birds who call themselves macaws..."

Soren recited their story once again, and the owls before them would cast them occasional glance of surprise, sadness, or sympathy. After he finished, he nodded to Pelli thoughtfully, signaling for her to speak.

"We will now give you some time to think about how to approach their situation. The vote that we would like to hold is going to cover two areas: whether or not these two birds should be allowed to take up residence here, and whether or not they can participate in the Guardian training program.

Think carefully upon this, and as soon as all of you have reached your decisions, the voting session will be held."

As Pelli's voice faded away, it was replaced by a heavy silence. Some of the owls appeared deep in thought, and a few others would glance at Blu and Jewel with sorrowful expressions.

After a reasonable wait, she announced, "Have all of you come to your decisions?"

A sonorous shout of "Yes, Your Highness," filled the room, and the two macaws clenched their talons tightly around their perch. Before they started, Soren announced that he and Pelli had both agreed to allow them to stay, and Blu and Jewel felt that they were off to a good start.

The king then gazed at the first owl on the right arm of the branch, a tall, slender one with menacing ear tufts and golden eyes, and said, "You first, Matthias."

The owl responded with a surprisingly mellow, "I am in favor of having these two macaws stay."

The blazingly white female next in line declared, "I must disagree with Matthias. I feel that they are simply too different to fit in among us."

The third member, a male Northern Saw-Whet who was dwarfed by the Snowy Owl before him, declared, "I also feel the same as Lydia. That is my vote."

"Thank you, Flynn. Your thoughts, Rita?" The female Short-Eared Owl adjacent to Flynn said, "I wish for these two birds to stay, Your Majesty. They only way that they shall make it back home is if they fulfill the prophecy."

The birds on the right arm had all voted, and Blu made a mental note of the standings so far: _That's one...two...three...four in favor, and two against. This looks promising! There are only three owls left._

Pelli now turned to the three remaining owls on the left branch. She motioned for the chocolate brown owl closest to her to cast her vote.

The female Masked Owl declared, "I have voted against keeping these two macaws here."

The next owl resembled the blacksmith that they had chanced upon earlier, and in a deep voice, he said, "I have also voted against the notion of allowing them to stay. I fear that the tree will not appreciate having such...foreign creatures living among them."

Jewel winced at the word "foreign," and she thought: _It's not like we can help it! Wait, the vote is tied four to four! Oh, please let the last owl vote for us! Please! Everything depends on it!_

She turned to Blu, and she noticed that he had also kept track of the vote. A terror-filled light shone in his hazel eyes, and he was doing his best not to tremble.

They turned back to face the king and queen, and Soren said, "We now have a tie vote. It is up to Ashton to break it."

The two macaws fixed their gaze upon the Barn Owl, and he intoned, "Your Majesty, I have decided that,"

Blu and Jewelboth held their proverbial breaths, and Ashton concluded "I see no harm in allowing these two macaws to stay. In fact, they, as well as the tree, could only benefit. That is my vote."

Blu and Jewel had to resist the crushing urge to fly up to the Barn Owl and hug him over and over again. They smiled widely at the Barn Owl, and he met their elated gazes with a smile and a wink.

"The vote stands five to four, in favor of Blu and Jewel. We thank you all for giving us your feedback. Would our two guests like to add any final words?"

Blu was at a loss for words, and thus it was Jewel who accepted Soren's offer.

"We thank you enormously for siding with us. For those of you that didn't, we want to assure you that we felt no disrespect from your choices. Every creature has their own way of thinking, and that is what keeps the world turning.

Although you do not understand our native language, I would like to say, "_Obrigado muito. _That means 'thank you very much.'"

Soren replied, "You are most welcome. We are all excited that you will be able to live with us and learn our ways. We will do our best to make your stay here as comfortable as possible, in the hopes that you will be able to return to your own world one day."

His mate added, "We have other business to attend to now, so we are asking you kindly to leave. If you are tired, ask Cleve to escort you to our hollow, and tell him that you have our permission. Sleep well and rest your minds, the both of you. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

Blu and Jewel gave a final nod to the monarchs and walked towards the door. They knocked gently on it, and it promptly opened for them, courtesy of Cleve.

He slid it shut behind them, and he queried, "Well, how did it go?"

They smiled back at the Spotted Owl and exclaimed, "We have been allowed to stay!"

Cleve flashed a genuine smile and replied, "Wonderful! I had a feeling in my gizzard that things would turn out for the better. Would you like me to lead you to the hollow from yesterday? You both look very drained."

"Uh, actually, Pelli told us that we could sleep in her and Soren's hollow tonight. The hollow that the monarchs took us to yesterday was already taken, believe it or not!"

His face immediately grew serious as he took in Blu's words.

"Oh, I do apologize, Blu! Did everything go okay despite the fact?"

"Uh, yeah! He just wanted to know how we came here and such."

_Just a tiny lie. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, anyways._

"Okay then! Shall we head on down to the monarchs' hollow?"

"Lead the way, Cleve!" shouted Jewel.

The trip back down to their hollow was short, being as it was nestled beneath the Parliament Hollow. Once they had arrived, Cleve bid them a good night's rest, and he made sure that they had settled down in the sizable nest before departing.

They found it hard to fall asleep, due to the excited buzzing in their heads.

"Can you believe it, Blu! We will one day become Guardians, just like the other owls themselves! Maybe that has something to do with completing the prophecy."

"I can believe it now, honey. That is a day that I will be looking forward to dearly! Maybe, just maybe, becoming Guardians will be our ticket home."

"Is this the part where you tell me to hope?"

"_Você está correto, meu amor,_" chided Blu with a smirk.

"Anyways, how about we try to fall asleep? I can only imagine what Soren and Pelli have planned for us tomorrow. Oh, and about that, I think we should try to gradually alter our sleep cycle."

"Oh, so that we can wake up at night and fall asleep during the day? Is that even biologically possible?"

"I have a good feeling that it is, Jewel. It will take us about a good two or three weeks, but it should work. We will never be able to train effectively given our current sleeping habits."

"Good point, Blu! Now, what did you say about falling asleep?"

"Oh, right. I will shut my beak now. Good night, honey."

"Good night, handsome. Sweet dreams..."

The two sapphire birds nestled against each other and finally managed to succumb to unconsciousness. Though their minds still hummed with the implications that the future would bring, they did so in a reduced state.

The iconic feeling of hope had been planted firmly inside them, much like a tiny seed, and it would soon sprout and grow in the days, weeks, and months to come.

It would be their own private Ga'Hoole tree, encouraging them to keep moving forwards toward their ultimate destiny: to escape this realm and return back to their own.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Você pode dizer isso de novo, Jewel. Para cada um na sua...=You can say that again, Jewel. To each his own...**

**Nenhum argumento aqui. Mostre o caminho!=No argument here. Lead the way!**

**Sinto muito!= I am sorry!**

**Você acha?=You think?**

**Esqueça o vento!=Forget about the wind!**

**Bem, podemos sempre perguntar a alguém.=Well, we could always ask someone.**

**Você está correto, meu amor.=You are correct, my love.  
><strong>


	4. Training Must Be Postponed

**A/N:**

** I had to update the title, because, as I just found out, periods are omitted from the chapter titles.**

**For those of you who have this story on your story alert, disregard the bunched-together title from before.**

**P.S. The reson my updates are so far apart is because I am working on another story concurrently, and thus I have to split my writing time between the two. Just be patient, people!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4:Training Must Be Postponed<strong>

Being as they were sleeping inside the sturdiest portion of the Great Tree, there was no sunlight to wake the two macaws. There was, however, plenty of wind to be had.

The tumultuous gale from the previous day had remained to buffet the island, and the sound of the air whipping amongst the roots just outside the trunk created an unnerving whistling sound.

The noise half-shocked, half-frightened Blu and Jewel, and they quickly exited their lovely dream, which had placed them back in Rio with their children. As they peeled their eyes open and took in the spacious, yet disconcerting hollow around them, they sighed disparagingly.

They felt a longing for that dream, despite it being just that, and waking up in the actual world caused them great pain.

"Good...morning, Blu. That dream...I love being a part of it, but I also hate it, because I know it isn't real."

As the two macaws slipped from the nest, Blu said, "I know, honey. But we have to focus on the present and the future, not the past. We will get there, someday.

Do not let your negative emotions get the better of you. We are going to be Guardians one day, remember! We both have to look forward to it, and do _whatever_ it takes to get there."

"Once again, your speeches leave me feeling all...fuzzy inside. No more wallowing in my negative emotions. Got it! Now, what should we do today? I think that storm is still going on out there."

"Let's see if we can find a port hole from one of the hallways. Let's pray that we don't get lost! I will do my best to remember the path we took from _here_ to _there_, wherever _there _is!"

The two macaws engaged in a fruitful feather preening session, and they wondered when they had last cleaned and straightened them. They headed out from the hollow and made their way through a random hallway.

They walked along the dimly lit path for some time, and they began to feel nervous that they had indeed become lost. As they rounded a bend in the tunnel, a hearty gust of wind ruffled their feathers.

They noticed an exit hole just a few feet away, and their hearts gave twin beats of happiness. However, that happiness was to be short lived. They marched up to the aperture and stared out, and they were met by another menacing blast of air.

"The storm is still going on? I was looking forward to eating more of those milkberries! _Maldição este tempo injusto!_"

"So was I, Jewel. But there is no way I would risk flying in a squall like that..."

"Now what are we going to do? Wander the tree all day long, chatting only to each other because no one else is awake?"

"That is actually a decent idea! There is so much of this tree to explore. Perhaps we can find some areas of interest. What do you say?"

Jewel gave a pneumatic snort in response, but she soon realized that there was nothing else _to do_ besides that.

"Whatever, Blu. Might as well get ourselves lost as soon as possible."

"Don't be like that, honey! We will be fine. Maybe we will get lucky and find the library that the monarchs told us about!" "I doubt it..."

The two macaws walked away from the port hole and continued following the pathway that they had started out on. They spent over an hour trudging along the hallway, stopping every so often to peer down an adjacent tunnel for anything interesting.

The familiar, yet no less creepy, echo of scores of sleeping owls slowly grew louder, and the myriad of tunnels all around forced the sound to resonate. They stopped themselves at the junction of several tunnels and set their minds on what to do next.

"Jewel, it looks, or rather _sounds, _like we made it nearly all the way up the inside of the tree," whispered Blu.

"I never noticed! We spent all this time searching, and guess what: we found nothing to show for it!"

"The only thing we can do is head back down and take a different tunnel. One of them has to lead _somewhere_ important!"

"And what are the odds of that happening? I am getting more and more bored by the minute!"

"Please come on, Jewel. I have this feeling that we will find something on our way back down..."

Blu made his way towards a tunnel directly ahead and disappeared into it. Jewel had no choice but to follow, or she would without a doubt lose sight of her mate. After walking hurriedly down the path, she caught up to him, and he never noticed that she had lagged behind.

After consuming another hour in their trek back down, they came upon a small chamber nestled in front of a large aperture. Many other tunnels fed into the same chamber, and Blu wondered what lay past the moss curtain that draped over the large hole before them.

"I think we found something, Jewel! Let's go inside and take a look around. _Primeiro as damas..._"

"Let's hope you're right..."

They walked through the moss curtain and hopped down to the floor from a small threshold that was the lip of the hole. Before them was a truly expansive hollow, and its sheer size pleased even Jewel's weary mind.

Dozens of shelf-like outgrowths littered the walls, which were also festooned with gently flickering lamps that cast a rich orange light.

Several banners hung from the ceiling over fifteen feet above, each a different color, and each one bore an artistic symbol cut out of the fabric.

"Wow! This hollow is lovely! This must be where the owls meet to chat and celebrate, if they even engage in such things."

"Maybe we can find the answers to your questions if we ever find the library, Blu! I would like to know what this place is called, first off. Anyways, let's fly around and take a look..."

The two macaws glided back and forth across the room, inspecting every feature that they laid eyes upon. What intrigued them the most was the delicate harp nestled in one corner, yet this was like no harp Blu or Jewel had ever seen.

Blu had an idea of what they were from his former life at Linda's bookstore, but this one blew his mind. Jewel, however, had not an inkling of what a "harp" was, and so she decided to find out.

"What is that?"

"It looks like a...harp, Jewel. A harp is an instrument that humans play to make music. They have scores of strings, and they are quite large. What is odd about this one is that the strings are made of...grass. I don't know how that can be."

Blu raised a talon to scratch his head, for it seemed that his mind was itching for the answer. The strings appeared quite delicate, and Blu had to resist the urge to pluck them. The frame of the harp appeared sturdy in comparison, as it was constructed from a few stiff branches lashed together with vine.

Spaced around the pedestal that the harp sat on were a few more growths, and Blu deduced that those must be the seats for whoever played the harp.

"Can I touch the strings, Blu? I want to hear how it sounds."

"I don't know, Jewel. Those strings look awful thin. What if you break one of them? Who knows what trouble we could get in."

She merely shrugged and replied, "Oh, come on! I will be careful! After all, who is the clumsy one here?"

Blu gave her a harsh glare over her coordination joke.

"Very funny! If you damage the harp, you will be the one face the consequences. If you are going to touch it, then touch it!"

Jewel reached out her right foot and drew her talons across the green strings of the harp. A descending string of notes pealed into the air, and both macaws were mesmerized by the quality.

"Wow! That was gorgeous! That harp is quite an example of avian craftsmanship. Play some more, Jewel!"

"You see. I know what I'm doing!"

She stroked her foot back the other direction, and the symphony of notes now rose steadily in pitch.

"Just imagine how exquisite it could sound when the professionals play it!"

"Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine, Jewel!"

She alighted next to the harp and attempted to play a more complete melody. Halfway through her song, which wasn't much of a song at all, one of her talons caught on a string. She tried to pull it loose, but she only managed to lose her balance and fall from the stand.

The harp came down with her, and Blu rushed over to break his mate's fall and hopefully save the instrument. Jewel cried out for help, and her mate dove down underneath her in the nick of time. Jewel slammed down onto her mate's back mid-fall, and the harp dropped harmlessly across her chest.

"Oh my! Thank you, Blu! I thought the harp and I were goners!"

The added weight of the harp and his mate, in addition to the blow he received from breaking their fall, had driven all of the air from his lungs, and he couldn't draw any back in.

He managed to choke out, "You're...welcome. Could you...get off? Can't...breathe..."

Jewel carefully tilted the harp back in place with her wings and jumped off of Blu's back.

"I am sorry, Blu. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

He picked himself up from the floor and inhaled desperately. After allowing the oxygen to flood his body and clear his head, he replied to her queries.

"I...think so. Who's the...clumsy one now? Man, my back..."

"I guess it's me, Blu! Now I know how it feels. Maybe we should get out of here, before I break anything else."

"Why didn't I think of that? Come on, clumsy..."

They trudged from the hollow and jumped back onto the threshold, pausing to get one last glimpse of the mysterious space. They then continued on their way, after picking another path to follow, unsure of where it would lead them.

It seemed to circle around the inside of the trunk, and the two macaws eventually ended up back where they started. They frowned and made a mental note to avoid going down that path again. They chose the hall to its left, and after following it for a few feet, it simply joined up with the circular tunnel from before.

However, as they swiveled around and started to retrace their steps, a brief twinkle of light caught Blu's eye. Another path was leading away from the circular tunnel, and another flash seemed to issue from it as Blu continued to stare. "Jewel, there is something at the end of that tunnel.

"Let's go see what it is."

"Hopefully not another grass harp..."

Blu chuckled at her remark, before grabbing her wing and pulling her determinedly towards the source of the light. They came to another small chamber, but the opposite side was sealed off with a door. The light Blu had seen had come from an innocent torch mounted on the wall.

Still curious, he wanted to know what lay behind the door. It had to be important if it needed to be hidden behind a door, he thought.

"Let's try to open that door. There could be something worth seeing behind it!"

He made for the door, but Jewel was hesitant to copy him.

"Aren't we going a little overboard with our snooping around? That door is there for a reason, and maybe it's better that we not know what is behind it."

"_Chame-o que você quer. _Besides, we aren't going to get caught! Not a single owl is awake at this time of day, remember?"

"You know, maybe you are too smart for your own good..." replied Jewel, her voice heavy with disdain.

"That's fine with me. Now give me a hand with this. I mean, give me a wing with this!"

Jewel huffed and tromped over to Blu's side. They tried pushing on the wooden seal, but to no avail. They stopped to rest, and that is when Jewel noticed two handles mounted on the door. They each grabbed a handle with their feet and pulled. The door split down the middle and flew open with ease, tossing the macaws roughly to the floor.

After picking themselves up and straightening their disheveled feathers, Blu and Jewel entered yet another hollow, though not nearly as spacious as the previous one. In the tangerine light of the torches mounted on the walls, they were stunned to see several golden racks sitting on the floor all around them.

On some of the racks were a myriad of different sized objects, and they appeared to be made from polished metal. On the remaining racks were scores of helmets, formed into a plethora of designs, and they varied greatly in size as well.

"Jewel, are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"If you are thinking that these are battle claws, then yes!"

"Look at them! They must have enough here to arm a few hundred owls! They even have different sizes for different species!"

The largest were over five inches long, and the smallest were just over one inch in length. They were all forged from metal, Blu could tell, but what kind of metal he could not deduce. Some were tinted like cold steel, while others were a luminous golden shade.

They were all curved downwards, and their tips culminated in deadly, glistening points. The sharpness to which they had been filed was visible, and the two macaws could only feel the upper surface of the claws.

"Soren and Pelli were right. These things do make them look like savages! But when push comes to shove, what else can they do? They have to defend themselves somehow."

"Yeah. You can't be more right, Blu. But look on the bright side: we will get to wear our own one day!"

"Oh yeah! But, will we get to fight with them? Will we have to...kill with them? The monarchs said that everything has been peaceful in the owl world. Do you want that to change?"

"No, Blu. Of course I don't! I just think it would be nice to use them...somehow."

"I bet that it will be some time before we get to wear our own, honey. These battle claws are not for the faint of heart."

Jewel merely sighed and walked over to one of the helmet racks. The largest would have dwarfed Jewel's head, and they appeared quite hefty. The helmets on the other end of the size scale would have fit nicely on her head, but she refrained from trying one on.

They were all inlaid with various colors and designs and were unexpectedly ornate, despite their purpose.

_If you are going to kill, you might as well kill with style..._

As Jewel turned to her right, a separate rack was nestled in the far corner, semi-shrouded in darkness.

"Blu! Get over here!"

shouted Jewel. He dashed over to her and skidded to a stop by her side. "_O que é isso?_ Holy..."

The rack contained only two battle-sets, and beneath each of them, words were engraved into the metal rack.

The words beneath the left battle-set read: _King of Ga'Hoole._

The script beneath the other battle-set read: _Queen of Ga'Hoole._

As Blu and Jewel finished reading the delicate writing, they turned to each other with astonished looks on their faces.

"These belong to Soren and Pelli! Just look at how magnificent and deadly they are! It's like they have their own personalities!"

They studied Soren's first, and they could only imagine how much work had gone into forging it. The polished blue-gray helmet was adorned with several jagged spikes along its upper surface, and they decreased in length from the middle of the helmet towards the sides.

A single large, scarlet jewel was embedded in between the two largest spikes, and the light from the torches caused it to flash occasionally. The helmet was designed to cover everything except for the eyes, and two oval holes served to do just that. Surrounding the holes were inlays of crimson-colored metal, and they provided a menacing contrast to the rest of the helmet.

Suspended beneath it was a five inch long, double-bladed dagger, with both blades side by side on one side of the hilt. Blu could tell that it had been forged from the same cold, blue steel as the helmet. The smooth hilt was adorned with three beautiful sapphire crystals, and the handle bore indentions for Soren's talons to grip. The outside edges of each blade bore regularly spaced teeth, and they were aptly facing backwards for increased lethality.

Perched beneath them on the lowest rack was a pair of battle claws. They carried a deadly curve, and along the cutting surfaces were several rear-facing projections. Their coloration was identical to the rest of Soren's armor, and they lent a sort of completeness to the two former pieces of Soren's battle-set.

They were held together by metal hinges, and they seemed to be under tension. Blu carefully tapped the left one with his foot, and it sprung open in an instant, with an audible clicking sound. Blu and Jewel leaped back in shock, and they noticed that the claws were extended towards them in attack position.

Jewel gave her mate a condescending shove with her wing.

"Did you _have_ to touch it? That thing could have cut you open if you were any closer!"

Blu regained his composure after nearly stumbling from Jewel's shove.

"I didn't know that they were designed to do that! Just be thankful that I _wasn't_ cut open!"

"Just be careful next time! Like you said, 'battle claws are not for the faint of heart.'"

Blu marched back to the extended talons and carefully forced them back to their former position.

They switched their gaze over to Pelli's weaponry, and it brandished a distinctly feminine design. Her helmet was tinted exactly like what humans would call rose gold, and just like Soren's, had been polished to a mirror finish.

A graceful filigree design of curved silver lines flowed out from the eye holes and around the sides. The upper surface bore three sturdy silver flowers that Blu could not identify. In their centers glistened three sizable emerald-like jewels.

Her dagger was the same length as Soren's, but unlike his, it carried only a single blade.

Five diamonds were arranged in a neat line down the center of the blade, flashing as only diamonds can.

Her blade was augmented by three half-moon shaped projections on each side of the blade, and they were facing towards the ceiling, rather than the floor.

Finally, her pair of battle claws were exact copies of Soren's, except for their rose gold tint.

The combination of grace and lethality imbued in the weaponry gave Blu and Jewel pause.

"Who knew that these owls were capable of such...such...art? And yet, it is art with a purpose...a purpose most dire..."

"You couldn't have put it any more perfectly, Blu. This is so amazing! The only thing that could surpass it is to see them wearing it..."

They two macaws took in the beauty of the monarchs' armor for a few more minutes before turning back to explore the rest of the weaponry once more. Their stay ate up nearly two hours out of their day, and they opted to vacate themselves from the armory.

They carefully and resolutely shut the double doors and settled down for a short rest. They then retraced their steps back out of the circular hollow and wandered along the halls some more. They found themselves at another moss-covered opening, and they were shocked to hear quiet scratching sounds coming from within.

They hesitantly entered, and they noticed an owl with brown and white feathers behind a desk. They realized that they had found the library, taking in the rows and rows of bookshelves, but their entrance had not stirred the apparently very focused owl.

Blu sidled up to the desk and whispered, "Uh, is your name...Otulissa, by any chance? And why are you up at this time of day?"

"Why yes, It is. I-"

The female drew her gaze from the desk towards Blu, and a hint of shock, followed by admiration, crossed her face.

"Oh my! Are you Blu? And is that Jewel?"

"You are correct."

"Soren has told me quite a wealth of information about you. Needless to say, I am astounded and intrigued by the events that transpired to bring you here. However, I am in the dark as to the _how_ and the _why_, and I am conducting research to try and find out the answers.

I know that it is strange for an owl to be up during the daytime, but my work keeps me very busy, and this is one way I cut down on it. Now, why have you come here?"

"We were just wandering the tree in hopes of finding the library, which it seems we have. I would like to read up on the Southern kingdoms."

"A lovely choice. And as for you, Jewel?"

"I can't really think of anything, so I will just read what my mate reads!"

"Alright, Jewel. Let me find a fitting book..."

Otulissa emerged from behind the desk and walked slowly along the bookshelves, her gaze scanning the hundreds of spines for their requested tome. She stopped suddenly and plucked a navy blue book from a lower shelf.

"Ah, here we are! You can set it on that stand over there and read to your heart's content!"

After she handed it to Blu, Jewel replied, "Thank you very much, Otulissa! Before we start, may I ask what you are doing?" "I am just working on evaluating who to tap for the Weather Interpretation chaw, who I am the ryb of."

"I see. What is a 'ryb?'"

"A ryb is essentially a teacher, and every chaw has their own. Once you begin your Guardian training, you will get to meet many other rybs, just like me! You will also meet many other owls, and I hope that you will be able to make good friends with most of them.

They will remain with you after you are tapped, and even when you become Guardians! Those friendships are vital, and you must forge them if you are to make your training more enjoyable, and at other times, bearable."

Her words gave them pause as they remembered the prophecy, and they did not know if she had realized what she just said.

"It looks we have our work cut out for us then!"

"Indeed, Jewel! Now I will go back to my work, so you can read."

They nodded and watched as the owl regained her place behind the desk, resuming her scribblings with a ink-coated feather. Blu set the navy-colored book on the stand and peeled it open to the title page. The title was a string of fancy symbols, and Blu guessed that this was the written language of the owls.

As he turned to the first page, the symbols showed up once again, and he did not have the slightest clue as to what letters they signified.

He turned away from the book and muttered, "Pardon me, Otulissa, but Jewel and I can't read a single page of this book! It is covered in strange symbols..."

"Oh, Glaux! I forgot that most of the new books in this library are written in Hoolian! I could assist you with increasing your comprehension of our language, but it will take some time, perhaps one or two weeks. Are you sure that you can handle it?"

Blu flashed a glance at his mate, and she nodded energetically. He swiveled back around to the Spotted Owl and exclaimed, "We can handle it, Otulissa!"

She smiled widely and replied, "Let's get started then!"

Otulissa walked over to her desk and pulled out a symbol chart. She returned to the bookstand and slowly deciphered the symbols one by one for the two macaws. They had grown drowsy by the time they had reached the second chapter, and their heads had fallen uncontrollably onto the open book.

In the midst of a pleasant dream, they were awoken by an amused chuckle from Otulissa.

"Wake up, you two! It is getting late! Well, late for you at least!"

They roused themselves from the book and shook away the drowsiness, thankful that they had not drooled on the pages.

"Really? Wow! We must have been tired! It wasn't because we were bored with your lesson, though!"

"Don't worry, I understand! Your bodies are merely responding to their inner clocks that regulate your sleep cycles. Anyways, you did well for your first lesson. Actually, you did better than I would have expected. You seem to be a pair of very intelligent birds!"

"Thank you, Otulissa! That really makes us feel good! We appreciate your support."

"You are most welcome! Now run along, you two. Go get some rest!"

Blu and Jewel yawned and made for the exit. Otulissa grabbed the book and returned it to its proper place, and after doing so, something clicked in her head, and she yelled for her two visitors to wait.

"Blu! Jewel! I have to tell you something!"

They stopped abruptly and walked over to Otulissa's desk.

"What is it?" queried Blu.

"The news of your presence has already been spread around the tree, and everyone is talking about you!"

"When did you find out?"

"Yesterday, in the Dining Hollow. Some of the owls wanted to meet you, but others were not so inclined. They were talking about the Parliament's decision to keep you here, and many of them were visibly upset.

I would watch my tail-feathers, if you understand what I am trying to imply. I hope your Guardian training begins soon, because you are going to need it.

You have to show them that you can perform as well as they, and you have to earn your respect. Accomplish that, and they will most likely come to respect you, whether they like you or not."

"Wise words, Otulissa. We will be sure to heed your advice. Oh, can you show us to Soren's hollow? We still can't quite remember the way!"

"My pleasure. Follow me!"

The Spotted Owl brushed past them and nonchalantly ambled down one of the paths leading away from the library. After a brisk walk down towards the base of the tree, they arrived at their destination, and Otulissa bid them farewell. She did not have the time to talk with Soren, she told them, because she still had much more work to do.

The two macaws clambered cheerfully into the hollow and were greeted by their two favorite Barn Owls. After Blu and Jewel carefully detailed to them how they had passed the time, Soren cleared his throat and spoke.

"I now have some news to tell you. The Parliament has already spread the word regarding their decision, and they have informed the rybs that they will be receiving two new students in a few days. You will follow a set schedule each day, and you will be attending seven classes in total.

You won't be having them all in one day, of course! I know that this sounds a bit vague right now, but everything will become much clearer once you begin. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Soren. But there is just one problem: we still haven't adjusted our sleeping habits yet."

Blu and Jewel's statement earned them a blank look from Soren, which persisted from several seconds.

His mate stepped up to him and said, "It seems you have forgotten about that, dear! You have to give them time to switch over! Perhaps I should take them to Hannah and see what she can do."

"Oh Glaux. How silly of me! Forgive me, Blu, Jewel!

" Blu and Jewel nodded resolutely, and Soren then turned to face his mate.

"Splendid idea, Pelli! I will accompany you. Let's get going, shall we?"

The group of five birds set out towards the infirmary, with the king and queen in the lead. Blu and Jewel were still unfamiliar with navigating the tree, and they hoped that their Guardian training would, in one way or another, help them combat it.

They arrived at the infirmary after a surprisingly short walk, and they could feel the drowsiness from before creeping back into their minds. They had found the Burrowing Owl called Hannah dusting the rows of beds, all of which were empty.

She looked up and caught sight of the monarchs, and she quickly trotted over to them.

"Hello, Your Majesty! Hello, Your Highness! How may I assist you?"

"Hello, Hannah. These two macaws have a problem that needs to be addressed if they are to begin their Guardian training."

Hannah turned to face them, and her once jovial expression was now serious.

"What sort of problem is that?"

"Well, we need to switch our sleeping habits. We usually are awake in the day, and we fall asleep at night. We need to reverse that."

A studious gaze now crossed her face, and her white eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"I think I have just the cure. Wait right here..."

She dashed off on her spindly legs to the opposite end of the room and vanished around a corner. They turned around to see Soren and Pelli smiling warmly.

"We are going now. We have much to do for tonight, including informing the rybs that their two new students' training must be postponed! Hannah will take great care of you, so don't worry. This is definitely odd for an owl to be saying, but good night, you two! Sleep well!"

"Have a good day, Soren and Pelli! Or is it have a good night? Oh, just forget it!"

The Barn Owls chuckled and walked back out the way they had came, leaving Blu and Jewel enfolded in a soothing silence. Hannah returned moments later with two small nut cups clutched in her right talon. Although they could not see their contents, they knew that whatever they contained could not be good.

"What...is inside those things? Are you going to make us drink it?"

"You are correct, Blu. Inside these nut cups is a sleeping potion for owls who are...mortally wounded. It helps to ease their pain and allow them to pass on as peacefully as possible..."

Blu and Jewel instantly grew nervous, and Hannah picked up on it.

"Do not fret, my dears! A small dose will only help you relax and fall asleep. You will most likely have to take this for at least two weeks straight. How do plan to reverse your sleep cycle?"

Blu chased away the fear from earlier and replied, "We will have to fall asleep earlier and earlier each day, and I think that your medicine will help immensely."

"Oh, I see! Well, lie down, you two. Let's get this started."

Blu and Jewel hopped onto the beds, and the feel of the soft leaves on their backs was incredibly soothing. The Burrowing Owl handed each of them a tiny nut cup and motioned for them to drink. They popped the lids off and slowly tipped the nut cups towards their beaks, allowing the liquid to fall into their mouths.

The slimy fluid ran down their throats, and they had to resist the urge to throw it back up.

They handed the empty cups back to Hannah, and she said, "Sleep well, you two. I will be checking on you periodically during the night. Thanks to you two, I have something to keep me busy. Cleaning these beds all day long isn't as fun as it seems."

Hannah vanished back into the adjoining chamber to put way the cups, and she returned with a small ember. She dropped it into the torch on the wall that faced the two macaws, and a lovely orange glow bathed the room. She whispered good night to them one more time before vanishing back into the adjoining chamber.

A strange sensation began to steal over the two macaws, and their heads swam with weariness for a few seconds.

Blu tilted his head towards his mate, his eyes half closed, and mumbled, "Sweet dreams, my everything. I love you..."

"I...love you too..."

The two macaws fell silent as the liquid took effect, and the only sound that could be heard was their steady, content breathing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Maldição este tempo injusto!=Curse this unfair weather!**

**Primeiro as damas...=Ladies first...**

**O que é isso?=What is that?  
><strong>


	5. Chaw Fundamentals

**A/N: Wow. 10 days! That is a huge update gap, and I sincerely apologize for it.**

**Part of it is because I have been working on a story with a fellow fanfiction buddy.**

**The other half of the equation is that I have been seriously contemplating how to develop this story.**

**I've got it figured out now, so my updates will be back on track from now on.**

**For those of you who say that this story is missing action, get prepared, because the action is coming! (Wink, wink.)**

***GoGh and all associated characters/locales belong to Kathryn Lasky. Everything else belongs to me.***

**Anyways, that's enough from me!**

**Onwards and upwards...**

***THE Wolf has spoken.***

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5:Chaw Fundamentals<strong>

The two macaws had set up a routine for the duration of their treatment, which lasted 15 days, just one day over Hannah's prediction. They spent nearly all of their waking hours each day studying the Ga'Hoolian language, with Otulissa as their tutor.

They would then head back to the infirmary one hour before their bedtime the previous night and take her sleeping concoction once again. Through this remarkably simple routine, they slowly dialed back their sleeping cycles and reset their internal clocks.

By the time the 15 days were up, they had successfully accomplished their goal, and they were now able to fall asleep after the glorious sunrise, and awake after seeing the night-bringing sunset.

They had finally been assigned their own private hollow, and it lay near the top of the tree, at the culmination of one of the south-side branches.

They had essentially mastered the Ga'Hoolian language, and their abilities had impressed even Otulissa, the well-known consummate scholar of the Great Tree. Blu, in particular, fared spectacularly, and the Spotted Owl had assured them that he and his mate would turn out to be wonderful Guardians.

They had returned from their final lesson earlier that day, and it had left them quite weary, both physically and mentally. They had settled down to sleep the day away and allow their bodies and minds to recharge. A strip of dappled light graced the Hoolemere sea as the full moon crested the western horizon.

The intense light reflected off of the water and painted the tree, waking many of the sleeping owls whose hollows contained west facing port-holes. Blu and Jewel's hollow was no exception, and a brief glare of light caught him directly in the left eye, tearing him from sleep quite effectively.

He gently climbed from their mossy nest and out of the harsh, rippling glare from outside. He fluffed out his feathers and brushed Jewel's chest with his wing. She stirred and popped her right eye open, fixing Blu with a drowsy glare.

"What is it, Blu? Time to wake up already? No, it can't be. Let me sleep just a little longer..."

Her eye threatened to close, but he merely stroked her chest once again, albeit imbuing the motion with more force. Both of here eyes flew open, and her gaze was now tinted with frustration.

"What, Blu? I want to sleep!"

"It's time to wake up, honey! It's already First Black. We need to head to the Dining Hollow, before all of the fresh food is taken. Remember, our first day of chaw classes is today."

She sighed heavily and forced herself from the nest, giving herself a shake before standing next to her mate.

"I almost forgot, to be honest. Let me see...I have Tracking, Navigation, and Colliering today. Or tonight, I should say. What about you?"

"Hmmm. I have Ga'Hoolology, Search-and-Rescue, and Weather Interpretation. I can't say I am looking forward to learning about the Great Tree, though. Even though it is our home now, learning about it doesn't sound too appealing."

"Well, you still can't slack off just because you don't like it. You and I both know that we have to do our best in all of our classes. As for me, the Tracking class doesn't sound like my thing right now. Who wants to learn how to chase animals?

I guess it would come in handy for when we have to track enemy owls, but nothing has been amiss here for quite awhile." "Who knows, we might change our minds once we actually get the feel of our classes! Now, let's get to the Dining Hollow. I, for one, am starving."

"_Nenhum argumento aqui_.._._"

The two macaws wound their way down the trunk, having become quite adept at navigating the Great Tree's internal maze. Thankfully, the expansive hollow was only just starting to become occupied, and the cerulean birds looked around for a place to perch.

They caught sight of a pale shape waving in the air, and they soon realized it was a wing. They walked towards the rear of the hollow, and they came across Blythe, one of Soren's daughters, sitting with three other owls.

They sidled up to the four owls, and they were surprisingly not repulsed by Blu and Jewel's presence, unlike so many others.

"Hi Blu! Hi Jewel!" greeted Blythe.

"Hey, Blythe!" replied the two macaws in unison.

"I was just telling my friends all about you! I didn't know that you would be done fixing your 'problem' today."

"Yeah, we can basically say that we sleep like owls now!" shouted Jewel.

"By the way," queried Blu. "Who are these friends of yours? Since they know about us, I would like to know about them! If they don't mind, of course..."

Blythe shifted her gaze from Blu and Jewel down to her three smiling friends.

They nodded resolutely, and Blythe said, "They won't mind, Blu. They have been dying to meet you and Jewel! Well, go ahead, you three!"

The owl closest to Blythe was even in height with her, and it appeared to be a Short-Eared Owl.

"Nice to meet you both! I'm Curtis."

The second one was small in comparison, being as it was a Pygmy Owl.

Blu and Jewel gazed down at her, and she said, "My name's Stella!"

The pale bird who sat next to Blu was nearly their height, and they could tell that it was a Barn Owl.

"My name is Alistair, but I usually go by Al."

After a slight pause, Blu and Jewel intoned, "It is a pleasure to meet you all! We haven't had any friends since we got here, save for the monarchs and their children. Maybe you three can change that. We have been rather lonely..."

This declaration earned them innocent smiles from the three owls, and they all shouted, "Of course! We would be glad to."

Stella fixed the two macaws with an intense gaze and said, "It's a shame that so many of these owls would turn a blind eye to you. Sure, you may appear different on the outside, but it's the soul that defines who you are..."

"Why thank you, Stella. You really lifted our spirits! I am glad that we can all be friends, and I am sure that Jewel is too."

"_Sem dúvida, _Blu."

Jewel's statement sounded like a contorted phrase to the others, and they all fixed her with quizzical gazes.

"What in Glaux's name did you say, Jewel?"

"I was speaking the language that comes from our former home, Curtis. It's called Portuguese. I know you don't understand it, so I will try to speak it as little as possible around you all..."

"Oh. Well, I don't mind. Even though I don't know what Por-tu-guese is, it sounds nice to me."

"Whatever you say, Curtis! Hey, does anyone know when the food will get here? I am dying to get some nourishment in me!"

Seconds later, a decent-sized snake slid up to them, carrying six clinking ceramic plates upon her back. She curled her head around and said, "Cook has made fresh milkberry tart for tonight. Go ahead, dig in!"

The owls next to them began to eat the tart fervently, but Blu and Jewel paused to bathe in the intoxicating aroma for a few seconds. After chasing away the nostalgia that had swamped their minds, they lifted the toasty pink squares to their beaks and took measured bites.

Blu set his back down and swallowed, the luscious, gooey tart sliding down his throat.

"That was...delicious! I will never get tired of eating this stuff!"

He picked up the now oddly shaped tart and resumed his meal.

From his left, he heard Curtis say, "I agree with you completely, Blu! Tweener is the meal I always look forward to, and it's because of this tart right here!"

The six birds gleefully ate their respective tarts, and they had all devoured them in just over ten minutes. After watching the violet-hued snake slither away with the empty plates, they all huddled up into a loose circle. The noise in the large room had grown over the course of their meal, being that scores and scores of owls now inhabited it.

Blythe stepped forward, and she had to raise her voice to be heard.

"So, Blu and Jewel, what are you going to do after this?"

"We have our first three classes of Chaw Fundamentals to attend. I have Ga'Hoolology, Search and Rescue, and Weather Interpretation. Tell them what you have, honey!"

"I have to take Colliering, Tracking, and Search-and-Rescue Why do you ask, Blythe?"

"I wanted to see if we have any classes in common, and it seems that we do. Well, I do, at least."

"Which class is that?"

"I have the first class with Blu, and the last two classes with you, Jewel."

"Well, hey! That's nice. It'll be good to have a friend to help us out when we need it."

"Indeed, Blu."

"What about you three?" questioned Jewel.

Curtis gazed at Jewel and said, "We will be together for your first class, but that is all."

He turned to Alistair and Stella and asked, "What about you?"

"I have my last two classes with you, Blu." replied Stella.

"And I with Jewel!" added Alistair.

"Awesome! Now we all have someone to rely on! Maybe our Guardian training won't be off to a bad start after all..." chimed Blu ecstatically.

Jewel looked over towards the entrance and noticed that many owls were already filing out in small groups.

She whirled back to the others and declared, "The others are already leaving. I think it's time we head out with them."

Blythe gazed past the others, and her eyes flashed with excitement.

"You are right, Jewel! We need to get going! Being late for our first chaw practice won't set a very good example. Do you and Blu know where to go?"

"Uh, not really. Could we follow you?"

"Sure! That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right you are, Blythe."

"Okay, Blu, just follow me. And as for Jewel, Curtis will be the one to help you to your first class. After that, you two should wait outside of the chaw hollows so that Stella and Alistair can find you. If we can get this to work, it won't take more than a few days for you to learn where you need to be."

Blu and Jewel, "_Nós temos isso_, Blythe. That's Portuguese for, 'we got it.' Do you know what to do, you three?"

Stella, Curtis, and Alistair replied, "I think so."

With that, the six feathered creatures made their way over to the stream of owls and began ambling through the maze of tunnels. After a short walk, they came to a batch of tunnels, meaning that Blu and Jewel had to go their separate ways.

They shared a quick hug and parted, Curtis leading Jewel down one tunnel while Blythe took Blu into another. As he trailed along behind Blythe, he could feel the disapproving stares of the owls behind him. It unnerved him, and he only wanted to get to his class that much faster.

Soon, the stream of owls thinned out, and the two birds stepped lightly into a hollow, lit by several wall torches that cast a flickering glow. Blu spied a familiar shape hunched over the desk a few feet away from where they stood.

"Hey, that's Otulissa!"

The Barn Owl turned to him and whispered, "Right, Blu! She's the ryb for Ga'Hoolology, and she likes to have all of her classes early."

"It sure is a small world..."

He and Blythe turned back to face the Spotted Owl as she began to speak. He focused intently on what she was saying, and it was helping him block out the heated glances that the other owls would shoot his direction.

She was giving a lecture on the Great Tree's structure and makeup, and he soaked up all of the important details. Despite the fact that Otulissa was the ryb, he could already tell that this class one not going to be one of his favorites...

The class ended over two hours later, and as Blu began stepped from the hollow, he remembered that he had to wait for Stella. Blythe passed him and said a quick goodbye, and her pale form soon became scrambled with the bodies of the other departing owls.

Blu waited for a few more minutes, and he could see a rift in the the owls that filed past. It drew ever closer to him, and as it reached its end, the tiny Pygmy Owl popped out.

"Hey, Stella! Looks like you found me."

"Yeah, hi, Blu. I don't mean to be rude, but we have to get going! Getting here took longer than I thought."

"Oh, okay! Let's hurry!"

He tromped behind her as they made their way through the now empty tunnels. They arrived in another hollow, and this one was lead by a towering owl with black and gray feathers. After Stella explained to Blu that the ryb was named Twilight, and was a good friend of Soren, a familiar owl trotted up to them.

"Hey, uh, Blu! Do you remember me?"

"Not really? Why?"

"I am the one who got angry with you for stealing my hollow. I just wanted to apologize. We got off to a bad start, and if you don't mind, maybe we could grow to be friends."

After reflecting on his words, Blu replied, "Oh, yeah! I accept your apology. I see nothing wrong with becoming friends! Jewel and I are going to need all of the help we can get if we want to become Guardians someday. By the way, what's your name?"

"Oh Glaux! I guess I never told you. My name's Jasper."

"Well, nice to meet you, Jasp-"

Just then, a deep voice filled the room, and Jasper suddenly turned to face Twilight before Blu could finish.

"No more talking, Blu! We need to focus!" whispered Stella.

"Oh, right! Focus..."

After an interesting lecture about basic flight mechanics, accompanied by a few picture references, the chaw practice ended, and Blu followed Stella to his final class. The Saw-Whet said a cheerful goodbye to the both of them before heading off to his own chaw practices.

Stella told Blu that the ryb for their Weather Interpretation was a Short-Eared Owl known as Ruby, and that she was another of Soren's close friends.

After walking into the spacious room, he caught sight of this so-called Ruby, and he had to admit that she was quite pretty. The pattern of crimson and cream feathers that adorned her from head to tail was mesmerizing.

Blu soon shook away his trance and quickly shifted his attention from her looks to her lecture. He was utterly captivated by the material that she discussed, namely the structures of storms, and how to fly in them.

After his final class for the night was over, he left the hollow and waved goodbye to his newfound Pygmy Owl friend.

During the entire trek from the hollow to his nest at the top of the tree, his mind was buzzing with all of the information that he had engulfed. He walked into the warm, inviting hollow and plopped himself down into his nest.

He was too jittery to sleep, and his inability was compounded by Jewel's absence.

_I hope she gets finished with her chaw stuff soon. I just can't fall asleep without her here. That's not a bad thing, is it? No, it can't be!_

After preening his feathers to pass the time, another issue began to pull at his mind.

_Why did Jasper try to fix his mistake so...openly? It seems rather odd. Did he have a change of heart all of a sudden? Maybe it really was a sincere effort. I guess I have nothing to worry about!_

Blu then sat in anxious silence for several more minutes, and as he gazed out of the port, he could see soft streaks of light arcing across the lavender sky. He jerked his head back to the entrance, and a steady clicking sound poured into his ears.

Moments later, his mate clambered in and rooted herself next to Blu.

"Hello, my everything, How was your first day?"

"Exciting, but mentally draining! What about yours?"

"Just the same, honey. Could you tell me more about what you learned?"

"If you want. Let's see, in Colliering..."

* * *

><p>Jewel hugged her mate gently, before turning away to follow in Curtis's tracks. A bubble of space had formed around her as they made their way towards the site of their Colliering class. She grew saddened by the way the other owls distanced themselves from her, even though they were in an already-crowded tunnel.<p>

She kept close to Curtis, accidentally brushing his tail a few times along the way. They eventually reached their destination, and the well-lit room was decently occupied. A diminutive Saw-Whet Owl was muddling around at the front of the room, and Curtis noticed her quizzical gaze.

"Are you wondering who that is?"

"Well, yeah."

"I think that's Martin. However, what I know for certain is that he's one of the king's good friends. He's been a great teacher so far. I've only been in this class for a few days, though."

"Martin, huh. Well, at least he's nice. I think that having a respectable teacher makes the class much easier..."

Jewel now turned back to face the tiny ryb, and he announced that the chaw practice was in session. Jewel sat and listened intently as he briefed them about the basic structure of forest fires, their different types, and the dangers posed by each. He also presented them with a few diagrams to aid their understanding.

Martin's instruction ate up an hour-and-a-half of the night, and he dismissed them cheerfully.

The other students hastily exited the hollow, and Jewel and Curtis were the last to leave. She did her best to ignore the negativity of the other owls' actions, and she silently swore to never let it drag her down.

Curtis instructed her to wait for Alistair just outside of the hollow, and he trotted off right after doing so. The kind Barn Owl showed up shortly after, just as expected.

He led her smoothly to their next class, which was Tracking. Curtis explained to Jewel that the ryb before them was a Burrowing Owl named Sylvanna, and his older friends had told him that she was a fine teacher.

She held little conversation with him after that, due to the feeling of the stares aimed at her by a few other students. They felt like red-hot points of mistrust and revulsion upon her feathers, and from the start of Sylvanna's lecture to its end, she found it hard to focus on what the ryb was saying.

Another two and-a-half hours sailed on by, and after the class was let out, Jewel and Curtis made rapidly for the exit, being the first ones to leave this time around. They realized that they had been let out early, as the halls were stark with silence, and their trip to their final class was soothingly easy.

The hollow was completely empty, and even the ryb-who Curtis informed to Jewel was Twilight-was missing. They waited for what seemed like an eternity, and the room slowly filled with the bodies of the other students. The Great Gray was the last to enter, and he apologized to his students for his tardiness.

He jumped right into his lesson, which covered the basics of flight, along with several special maneuvers. Twilight dismissed his class after just over one hour and thirty minutes. She had actually enjoyed what the Great Gray had taught, and she felt that this class would turn out to be one of her favorites.

Curtis wished her goodbye and followed the other owls as they departed. Just as she reached the exit, a jovial voice called her name. She whirled around, and standing at her feet was a comparatively small white owl, streaked with black.

"Hello, Jewel! Do you remember me?"

"I think so, Aren't you the owl who threw a fit at my mate and I a few weeks ago, just after we got here?"

Her tone was less than endearing, but the Saw-Whet Owl didn't flinch or lose his smile, which puzzled Jewel.

"Yeah, that was me! Anyways, I just wanted to apologize. We got off to a bad start, and if you don't mind, maybe we could grow to be friends!"

Jewel paused for several moments to contemplate his abrupt attempt at reconciliation.

_Why is he trying to try and fix thing so rapidly? That was over three weeks ago. Why would he bring it up again? Something is going on in his little owl brain. But what?_

"Uh, consider your apology accepted. It wouldn't hurt to be your friend. I am going to need all the friends I can muster. Oh, you never told me your name."

"My name's Jasper. And thank you for understanding. I was completely wrong to do what I did. Well, I'll see you later, Jewel. I am going to get some well-needed rest..."

Jasper turned and dashed from the hollow just as suddenly, leaving Jewel skeptical of him once again. She slowly made her way up to her nest, her mind swarming with the knowledge that had been injected into her brain over the previous hours.

She came upon the nest she shared with Blu, and he was quietly reclined in the nest. He smiled upon seeing her, and she quickly tucked herself into place beside him.

After Blu gave her a loving greeting-leaving her to wonder why he was always compelled to do so-he asked her to briefly recap all that she had learned.

She gazed into his sensuous hazel eyes and replied, "If you want. Let's see, in Colliering..."

Jewel had informed Blu of what she had absorbed in a few minutes of speech, and after catching her breath, motioned to Blu describe his day.

He happily did so, and the end of his recollection focused on his impressions of his first day of classes.

He was most fond of Weather Interpretation, and least fond of his class with Otulissa. Search-and-Rescue was somewhere in the middle.

Jewel had actually favored her lessons from Twilight, and her other two classes were basically even with each other on her like/dislike scale.

After finishing her conversation, she had attempted to settle down and sleep, since Blu claimed that he could not, in her absence.

However, he mentioned his encounter with Jasper, and as they processed the alarming similarity of his speech, they perked up immediately.

"That's basically what he told me! Something is definitely up in that tiny owl's brain!"

"I agree, Blu! Should we trust him and be his friends, since he seems to want it so bad?"

"I think that's our most viable course of action right now. Maybe we can secretly find out what he's trying to accomplish. He could be planning something, but we have to find out more. We are only going along with our assumptions right now, and I don't think that's wise."

"Okay, Blu. But I have a bad feeling about him. Maybe he's not all that he appears to be."

"Only time will tell, Jewel. Whatever he is trying to do, we will have to be ready. Now, let's get some sleep. It's almost morning."

"Okay, Blu. Good light!"

"Ditto, honey..."

As the first slivers of the sun crested the horizon to the east, Blu and Jewel had slowly cascaded into sleep. Amidst the wonderful information that swirled around inside their heads were tiny seeds of worry and foreboding.

As they slept, they felt a magical glow penetrate their resting brains, and it seemed to be the sower of the seeds from before. Accompanying the glow was a misty oval shape, tinted orange, green, and blue...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Nenhum argumento aqui...=No argument here...**

**Sem dúvida, Blu.=Without a doubt, Blu.**


	6. Talons On Training

**A/N:**

** Wow, time really flies when a certain author is busy living his life...**

**I know my update was incredibly delayed, but I buckled down and cooked it up.**

**This crossover is drawing to a close, but don't fret, because I have a sequel planned, which will come into existence sometime in August.**

**Without further ado, let's get to the good stuff.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Talons-On Training<strong>

Three months have passed since the time Blu and Jewel began their Guardian training. They had truly learned to appreciate the knowledge that had been conveyed to them, and they enjoyed it as well. Still, they also knew that they had only scratched the surface, and that a plethora of knowledge and skills remained to be grasped.

They had recently wrapped up the more auditory side of their training, and the two macaws were anxious to begin their talons-on training. Today, or rather tonight, was that very night, and Blu and Jewel were trembling with anticipation in their respective classes due to that fact.

* * *

><p>In her first class, Jewel had successfully tracked and located one of her classmates, having hidden himself on the island. The other students had performed well, but Sylvanna was especially impressed with Jewel's skill and determination.<p>

In her next class, Ga'Hoolology, she had been assigned the task of correctly burying pellets, which she accomplished decently. By now, the notion that Otulissa's class was not one of her favorites had been written in stone. As such, she had worked fervently, wanting desperately to attend her final class of the night, Weather Interpretation.

Now, she sat in Ruby's decently-occupied hollow, conversing with Alistair about their coming flight. Although the Short-Eared Owl had yet to show up, they had a fair guess as to what they would be flying into, even without her announcement.

"So Alistair, how rough do you think that storm is going to be?"

"Quite exciting, Jewel. I can feel the disturbance in my gizzard, even though the storm is so far away! Those thunderstorms that have been hanging around near the mainland must have organized themselves."

"I started to feel funny yesterday, as a matter of fact, and it hasn't let up. It feels like a thousand tiny prickles in my stomach!"

"Oh, you don't have a gizzard?"

Fixing the Barn Owl with an amused look, she replied, "No. I guess that's why I don't cough up pellets like everyone else!"

"Oh, that's right! Silly me."

A few moments later, Ruby landed into the hollow, all of his students' eyes widening as they faced her. Her feathers were soggy and frayed, but despite that, an ecstatic expression marked her face.

"I notice your surprise, and you may be wondering why I have returned in this condition. You see, I flew out over the Sea, and there is a nice storm raging about out there. Come on class, it's time to tackle that storm and apply what you have learned so far!"

After an invitational sweep with a damp wing, she glided from the port she had just entered. The students flashed energetic glances at each other, then flew out of the port in small groups. The owls quickly gathered behind their ryb as they left the island and glided across the Sea.

Directly in front them, although fairly distant, was a wall of lightning, white-hot bolts in the moonless night. Jewel could feel the eagerness in her companions' gizzards, and that very same emotion welled up inside her automatically.

Just then, Alistair glided in on her starboard side, his onyx eyes often illuminated by the frequent bolts of electricity.

"Are you ready, Jewel?"

"Without a doubt, Alistair. I've been waiting quite a while for the chance to fly into a typhoon! The first few months of Ruby's class was interesting, but this takes it to a whole new level!"

"True words you speak, Jewel..."

Pausing to glance out ahead, he could see the bands of clouds roiling from the winds they harbored.

Craning his head back towards her, he continued, "Brace yourself, were getting close!"

He drifted ahead, and Jewel now refocused her mind, preparing for what was to come.

A few minutes of steady flight later, she could feel the air flowing past her and funneling into the storm. The populous peals of thunder shook her bones, the flashes of lightning assaulting her eyes.

The band of owls pierced the outer wall of the storm, and they were immediately waterlogged by driving rain. The winds were not tumultuous, but they were definitely blowing at elevated speeds.

Being as her wings did not possess the airflow-smoothing feathers of owls, her flight was more difficult, and she nearly lost control several times.

They flew along inside one of the rain bands, and Ruby would occasionally lead them into the grip of a maverick wind. After they exited, she would ask one of her students to name it.

Amidst the drone of the thunder, Jewel heard her name being called as they fought their way out of one such area of wind. Instantly identifying the wind in question, she shouted back, "That was the gutter, Ruby!"

"Well done, Jewel! On to the next one..."

They repeated this routine several more times, and once all of the winds that this particular disturbance carried had been named, Ruby felt it was time to head back to Ga'Hoole.

Swiveling her head completely backwards, she hooted, "Fantastic work, class! You all have learned well so far, and I hope that many more opportunities such as this will arise. How about we return to the Great Tree?"

The entire class responded with a fortuitous, "Let's go, Ruby!"

She tilted her flight path upwards, and the rest of the students did the same, the motion flowing through the group like a wave. Jewel was situated near the tail of the formation, and as they climbed, she sensed that something was amiss with this storm.

Uncertainty and fear crept into her mind, and then she sensed a warm bubble of air pushing on her from below. She voiced her concerns, hoping that her teacher would hear her, being as she was near the front.

"Ruby, we just ran into a thermal! We need to be on alert for any downdrafts that these cloud bands may be hiding!"

She heard the Short-Eared Owl faintly reply, "I agree, Jewel! This typhoon could be more dangerous than I expected. Class, level out and group together! We are going to punch our way out of these rain bands!"

They quickly ceased their climb and drew in closer to each other, allowing their bodies to help calm the airflow. The warm air had slowly faded away, and Jewel could see they were nearing the edge of the squall, thanks to the back-lit clouds.

Just as she powered her wings to slice past the outer wall, a cold jet of air encircled her. She felt her forward momentum disappear, and full-blown dread exploded in her head. The chilled air twisted into a spiral and dragged her down, as if she had been caught in an invisible drain.

She could only shout, "Help! I'm stuck in a downdraft!"

She watched as the bodies of her classmates faded into the thick clouds above, meaning that she was being pulled towards the sea. She was descending belly up, and although she tried valiantly, she was powerless to right herself and fight her way out of the death trap that gripped her.

Knowing that she would sink and drown upon contacting the sea, she closed her eyes, waiting for the murky water to swallow her up and steal her life away.

Her body slammed the heaving water, knocking her out completely. However, a feathered missile streaked towards her, and after flaring its wings as a braking measure, reached down and locked talons with its classmate. The Long-Eared Owl dredged the macaw from the water and carried her out of the perilous typhoon, slowly rising up to fly alongside Ruby.

Upon seeing her limp form, Alistair shrieked, "Jewel! Is she okay? What happened?"

"I think so. She's just unconscious. She got caught in a rogue downdraft, Alistair. I pulled her from the water just in time."

As the other owls gathered around to witness the aftermath, Ruby cried, "Oh, thank Glaux you saved her! She knew what could happen before it even did, and it nearly killed her! I should have been more careful..."

The female owl replied, It was not your fault, Ruby! She was near the rear of our formation, so she was the most likely to be caught. Just be glad that I was able to reach her before she sank..."

"Thank you so much, Arianne. Her mate would've been devastated if she had died in my care. I can't even begin to fathom the shame that I would have had to bear..."

"It's all over, thank Glaux. Let's just get her back to Ga'Hoole..."

The Weather Chaw flew silently on, and the serene air away from the storm made for a quick flight. Upon reaching the towering tree, they filed in and made space for Arianne and Jewel. She laid the macaw out on the floor of the hollow, while Ruby jetted off to fetch Hannah.

Before Ruby had returned with the nurse, Jewel had came to, slowly opening her eyes and drawing a panicked breath.

The macaw's body was trembling uncontrollably, and Arianne declared, "Calm down, Jewel! You're alive, and we're all here with you. I saved you from drowning."

"I was s-s-so scared. I just knew I was going t-t-to die. Thank y-y-you, Arianne..."

"No need to thank me, Jewel. I did it because no creature, owl or otherwise, deserves to die so soon. You have an enriching future ahead of you, and I couldn't have let such an innocent, noble life be cut short."

A few moments later, Ruby led Hannah in, and Jewel smiled weakly upon seeing the familiar face of the Burrowing Owl.

After giving her a thorough look over, she determined that Jewel had borne no injuries or consumed any seawater. She offered her a calming elixir to combat the shock and advised that she head to her hollow and rest promptly.

After thanking the Burrowing Owl, she left the hollow, and Jewel asked for someone to escort her to her nest.

Alistair accepted, but before they left the hollow, each of Jewel's chaw mates enfolded her in a brief yet sincere hug, utterly relieved that they had not lost their fellow friend.

The trip to the crown of the tree was lengthy, for Jewel was drained from her ordeal, coupled with the effects of Hannah's medicine. She bid the Barn Owl goodbye and settled into the nest, quickly drifting away into a patchy sleep.

Even though Blu had not yet arrived, she silently wished for him to nestle in beside her as soon as possible and ease her trauma.

* * *

><p>Blu was situated in Martin's hollow, a bit nervous about his first Colliering assignment. Martin had told them that a healthy fire was cooking over in the Tyto Forest, and that is where they would be heading. The Saw-Whet Owl was hidden behind his desk, barely visible, and Blu could not discern what he was doing.<p>

It was then that a Short-Eared Owl sidled up to him, a less-than-confident look on his face.

"Hey Curtis! How's your day been?"

"Pretty good, Blu. I'm just nervous about that fire that we have to visit. Despite all that Martin has taught us about how to stay safe during fire-dives, I can't suppress the twitching in my gizzard."

"I feel just the same, although the feeling is in my stomach."

"Maybe it will help if we get to be paired up. I will make sure that you are safe, regardless of how uncomfortable I feel."

"As will I, Curtis. Although we understand the inner workings of blazes, they are still deadly, and I will not allow you to fall victim to one."

"Exactly! Those words sound like something an actual Guardian would say! You will make a fine protector of this tree, when the time comes."

"Thanks, Curtis! That helped calm my nerves."

"No problem, friend."

A few minutes later, Jasper joined their conversation, and Blu now regarded him as much a friend as Curtis. Blu had come to learn that the notion of the Saw-Whet scheming something was unjustified. He was sincere in his words and his actions, and over the past three months, Jewel had often told Blu that she felt the same about the plucky little owl.

Shortly before their conversation ended, Martin walked around to the front of the desk, his movements drawing his students' eyes to him.

"It is time for us to depart, class! We will stop off at Grayson's forge to collect the ember buckets, and then we will head straight for the Tyto Forest."

He hopped across the hollow and took flight, sailing out of the port and into the shadowy night. The rest of the owls followed, some pleasantly confident, and others visibly apprehensive.

They flew a short distance from the tree on a downward slope, landing at the mouth of the forge. The imposing Great-Horned melted from the amber glow inside of the cave and handed out the buckets.

After enough had been supplied, Martin grouped the owls in teams of two for their upcoming roles at the Tyto fire.

Blu and Curtis had been paired, which gave them great relief, knowing that they shared each other's trust.

With a quick swipe of his wing, Martin rose into the air and banked to the left, orienting his flight path in a southerly direction.

As the rest of the owls fell into position alongside their partners, Blu looked to his right, out across the choppy sea. A raging mass of clouds was churning in the distance, illuminated by frequent bolts of lightning. Blu prayed that Jewel would be safe, since she had told him that tonight was her first Weather Interpretation flight.

The vision of his mate being de-winged by a sudden wind, or cast into the murky water, was too much to bear.

_I know she'll be safe. She's a confident bird, and Ruby is the best teacher one could have. My Jewel will fly in and out of that storm without any hassle__._

Blu focused his vision back in front of him, and a different fury glowed in the distance. The onyx sky was pierced by orange tongues of flame, and the outpouring of smoke from the blaze was plainly visible.

Curtis, who was cradling the ember bucket, drifted in alongside Blu, his wing-beats were more frequent due to the increased load.

Without gazing at Blu, he stated, "That is some fire, wouldn't you say?"

"Agreed, Curtis. It may look bad now, but just wait until we're _inside _it!"

"Don't remind me, Blu! Ha ha..."

The two birds shared a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood, and it worked wonders.

They powered on towards the mainland, the uncertainty in their bodies now overshadowed by pride and confidence.

After fifteen minutes of flight time, the fire was exceedingly close, and its character was now apparent, both by sound and sight.

Nine pairs of birds, along with Martin, alighted on a small ridge downwind of the conflagration. The air was filled with uncountable numbers of tiny amber flakes, and a hot wind blew them along in all manner of directions.

Martin faced his students and shouted, "Alright class, now is the time to demonstrate the skills you have acquired so far! Each pair of owls should fly out to a different spot of the fire, alternating between ember retrieval and sentry duty. This is a textbook case of a crawling fire, and you all should have no trouble collecting embers. Now go and make me proud!"

One by one, the pairs lifted off, branching out to search for favorable entry points.

Blu and Alistair fought their way through the roiling updrafts and surveyed the structure of the fire. Several patches of fire burned about thirty feet ahead, no doubt ignited by the primary wall that burned just below them.

Dozens upon dozens of oval embers were rolling about in the space between the two sections of burning ground, unable to escape.

"We should dive down and grab those embers, Blu! You can go in first, and then I'll take my turn!"

Running through the strategies he had inherited, Blu paused to collect himself.

"You got it! Alert me at the first sign of danger!"

Blu folded his wings in and dived forward, cutting through the rising air and landing twenty feet ahead of the primary blaze. Blu could now feel the heat flowing out from the burning plant matter, and it was on the verge of unbearable. Grasping an ember in each of his talons and a third in his beak, he quickly blasted from the ground and up to his waiting partner.

After dropping the glowing orbs in the bucket, he dropped back into the fire for a second round.

After four repetitions and twelve embers, Blu switched places with the Short-Eared Owl, hovering above the fire with the warm steel in his talons.

Curtis had re-entered for the third time, and Blu could easily spot his friend about below. Amidst the roar that filled his ears, a new sound weaved its way in, a more high-pitched, crunching noise.

Scanning the forest with steady turns of his head, Blu soon spotted the source: a charred fir tree, leaning precariously.

The base of the tree was painted with flames, and it continued to angle more and more towards the ground. The popping sound returned once more, and Blu went into alert mode.

Hoping he would hear, Blu shouted, "Curtis, get out! A tree is coming down! Hurry!"

The weakened fir broke away from its scorched base and plummeted into the fire gap. A thick cloud of ash was thrown up from the impact, spreading out in all directions and causing Blu to choke.

The seconds flew by, and Blu feared that his friend had been crushed by the fir.

_Please let him come out! He can't die, not now! Surely he heard it coming!_

As Blu began to turn around and head for the ridge, a welcoming voice cut through the rumble. "Blu, don't leave! I'm fine! Come here!"

The macaw whirled around and came face to face with his friend, who dropped two embers into Blu's container. He recoiled slightly, because the once pristine was now covered from head to tail in gray soot.

"I thought that you hadn't made it out! I was so worried!"

"I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you! I heard your voice over the flames, so I gave that blasted tree plenty of room to fall!"

"I must have done my job pretty well then. Still, you got covered in soot. Your feathers are completely gray!"

"Oh Glaux, you're right! Well, it should come off as I fly. I think we've gathered enough embers for now. Let's head back to the ridge."

"Definitely!"

The two feathered creatures hastily wound their way through the desiccated air and touched down on the warm stone. Most of the soot had drifted off during their flight, but in many places, Curtis had patches of gray mixed in with his ivory and maroon feathers.

"We're back, Martinryb!" shouted Blu.

Three other pairs had already returned, and their faces cracked upon seeing Curtis's tarnished state. He did not rebuke them, deciding instead to laugh along at his predicament.

Martin soon appeared and peeked into the steel container.

"Very well done, you two! I see plenty of bonks and grade A coals in there. If I may ask, why are you so dirty?"

"I had a close encounter with a falling tree. Even though I avoided it, with Blu's help of course, I can't say as much for the soot cloud that resulted!"

"Ah, but that is part of the beauty of Colliering! Any permanent marks you may receive from future coal-dives should be honored, not scorned. You and Blu should remember that."

"Of course!" replied the macaw and owl in unison.

"You two can relax and rest. We will depart once the rest of the teams have returned."

Martin walked slowly away and examined the other students' collections.

The fire had burned until it met the banks of the river Hoole, at which point it sputtered and died.

The last few pairs returned shortly after, having their catches scrutinized by Martin's intuitive eyes.

After they had all been accounted for, along with sincere praise from their ryb, they lifted off towards the diminutive silhouette of the Great Tree.

The flight back was eerily calm, save for the whitecaps rushing around below.

The leaf-laden tree steadily grew in size, towering up into the sky as they reached the shores of the island. They spiraled down to drop off the coal-filled buckets, which the blacksmith gladly accepted.

It was there that Martin dismissed the class, since he planned to stay and chat with the blacksmith about their accomplishments.

The Colliering owls dispersed and glided towards the massive tree, their bodies yearning for the embrace of sleep.

Blu entered the tree by way of a mid-level port hole, making his way lethargically up the trunk. Upon reaching the familiar fork in the passage, he let out a soft sigh, knowing that his mate awaited him just a few feet away.

He followed the branch until it bent off to the right, quietly brushing aside the moss curtain and stepping down into the hollow. He spied the love of his life dozing peacefully in the nest, but her feathers appeared damp.

_I bet it was the rain from that storm. She made it back, safe and sound, and that's all that matters..._

As carefully as he could, he slipped in beside her and slowly closed his eyes. He was on the brink of losing consciousness, but a hearty nudge from Jewel prevented him from doing so.

"Is there something you need, honey?" he muttered groggily.

"How was your night?"

"Just fine, actually. Tracking and Search-and-Rescue were pretty fun, but I had a great time in Colliering! Curtis was gathering coals when a fir tree toppled over. It took him some time to come out of the flames, so I grew very worried. He eventually made it out, but he was completely gray from the soot. I couldn't help but laugh! How was yours?"

"All went well, until I headed out with Ruby for our Weather Interpretation flight..."

Jewel shuddered, and her face donned a mask of fear.

Blu brought her closer with his right wing, startled by her show of emotion.

"Did something happen? Were you hurt?"

"Hurt? No, I wasn't _hurt_. I almost _drowned_..."

"What! How!"

"We flew into a storm so that Ruby could help us understand the different winds that make them up. Right before we broke away to come back to Ga'Hoole, I got caught in a downdraft. Before that happened, I sensed that something was unusual about the storm, and I warned Ruby. I was flying near the back of the group, and I was just sucked away. I went out cold after hitting the water. There was nothing Ruby could've done..."

"I am so sorry, Jewel! I prayed that you would be safe! I see now that my prayers went unanswered. Who rescued you?"

"A Long-Eared Owl named Arianne. She pulled me from the water by my feet and carried me all the way back here, to the Weather Hollow. It was then that I woke up, and Ruby had gone to bring Hannah. She checked me over, and she said that I was mostly in good condition. She gave me a calming medicine to combat the shock I was in. Alistair guided me to our hollow, and I soon fell asleep."

"I never could have imagined. I thought that your feathers were still wet from the rain!"

"I was...so scared, Blu. You will never understand how terrible I felt..."

"Perhaps not. Still, thank god you're safe! I can't lose you, Jewel. I just can't! I have to see Arianne tomorrow and give her my absolute thanks."

"I know. I'll go with you."

"Jewel's demeanor had improved slightly, but he could tell that she was still reeling internally.

"Everything is fine now, Jewel. You need to rest and recover. I'll be at your side for as long as it takes."

"Thank you. That makes me feel a little better..."

Blu stroked her back repeatedly with his right wing, timing it with the rise and fall of her chest. She soon fell into dreamland, and Blu silently willed for the nightmares to avoid creeping into her mind.

Blu could not keep his eyes open, and after spending five minutes in a half-conscious state, they drew shut. He managed to fold his wing in before slipping away, and his dreams transported him to a faraway locale.

He slept peacefully, for his dreams placed him back in Rio, alongside his mate and their children.

They flew through the jungle as a carefree and happy family, and the two macaws smiled in their sleep.


End file.
